Cloth Diapers

I haven't posted anything on here for so, so long. I have been busy with our new baby:)and a million other really neat things that I would love to share.

One of the really awesome things that I started using when Cecilia was born is cloth diapers! Joe mentioned using them when Leah was born and again when Mason was born and both times I was adamant that I would NEVER use them. They sounded dirty, gross and a pain to clean. I was so wrong. I am six months into using them and I LOVE THEM! I am not looking forward to potty training at all. It feels so good to put a soft, fresh, clean (homemade:)diaper on my baby girl's bum. There are no weird chemicals in them (like there are in disposables-who knows what exactly is in them!?) and they are so natural. Cecilia has super sensitive skin and using cloth diapers and wool covers has really helped keep her bum rash free.

So, yes. I decided to make my own diapers. I started looking into buying cloth diapers when I was pregnant and I was overwhelmed with all the choices! I really liked the fitted diapers the best and I wanted to be as economical as I possibly could be. My favorite diaper was this one:
http://www.asmallgreenfootprint.com/store/Growing-Green-Diaper-9p3.htm
There was no way I was going to spend that much on diapers so I kept on looking and stumbled on a pattern that I really thought I would like. I purchased birdseye and diaper twill fabric online, used some flannel I already had and got busy sewing. Before Cecilia was born, I sewed about 4 dozen diapers.

I did buy some preemie prefolds that I use in each diaper as a doubler. I do this because I mostly use wool covers on my baby and it is important to have enough cotton to keep them from leaking.

What I love about this diaper pattern:
1. It is a one size pattern! Well, two sizes that will fit baby from newborn until she is potty trained (or 30 pounds). I don't have to buy multiple diaper sizes which saves money.

2. Sewing your own diapers is the most economical way to diaper you baby. I spent very little on fabric (about $300 for 6 dozen diapers total which included both one-size sizes). Compare that to the $2000 it costs to diaper a baby for 2 years+!

3. I have NEVER had a blowout with these diapers, never. The gussets stop the poo.

4. They were easy to sew. I sewed some on my mom's serger and some on my regular sewing machine.

5. I used the extra fabric to sew 5x7 washable diaper wipes which is so much cheaper and easier than disposable wipes. I used disposable wipes once after my baby was born and I was so disappointed with them after using cloth wipes. They just smeared the poo around. I now hate disposable wipes!

I also purchased some prefold diapers because I wanted to try them out as well. I honestly wanted to try everything! I didn't like them at all. I thought they were difficult to get on correctly and her poo would squish out of the sides. I ended up using the diapers as burp cloths.

I did not put fasteners on the diapers I made. I have tried the Snapi Fastener but I prefer diaper pins. I think pinned diapers look so cute:)

Diapers have to have a cover and I made some (both wool and PUL)that had a velcro fastener and the velcro rubbed on Cecilia's belly and made it all red. I have found two all time favorite covers; my favorite is the wool cover. The wool lets her bum breathe and I have never had a leak; I LOVE wool covers! My favorite wool cover is the Disana Wool Cover (the link takes you the cheapest place that I have found to buy it) and my favorite PUL cover is Thirsties Duo Wrap (with snaps, not velco).

The Disana Wool cover is so wonderful! It comes up really high on baby and does a fantastic job stopping leaks. I only wash the wool covers every few weeks so they really are less work than PUL covers.

Thirsties Duo wrap (I like the snaps best because velco rubs on baby's tummy and is irritating) is awesome because it has gussets and is a one size cover-very economical and a well made product. I really like these, but I don't use them as often because Cecilia really does best with wool.

Washing diapers may sound yucky, but I actually look forward to it. This is how I wash them in my Whirlpool Duet machine:

Every two or three days I take the full diaper pail liner out of the diaper pail (regular plastic garbage can with a lid) and put the open end in to the washing machine. I push the diapers in from the bottom of the liner and I never have to even touch a dirty diaper:)

Cold Soak for 30 minutes

Cold wash with vinegar

Hot wash with max rinse (I use Country Save detergent and lavender essential oil in the rinse.)

They have always come out perfectly clean.

I put them in the dryer for 120 minutes on medium.

I enjoy folding them, but I don't always have the time. I just put them in a laundry basket next to the changing table.

So that's how I do it. Cloth diapers are awesome and they save money! I want to spread the word:) Also, keep in mind that there a million different ways to cloth diaper. Green Mountain Diapers is a good place to start looking to get a feel for what you might want. She gives very comprehensive reviews and you can see pictures of many of the most popular diaper styles on babies.