Cloth Diapering: 18 months later

6 months old and rocking her Charlie Banana

We started cloth diapering when Gwen was 2 months old!  We are still going strong!  We have moved on past breast milk poo, beginning solids, and now to the toddler phase!  Regardless of poop, we are saving tons of money and that's why we are doing this in the first place.  We quickly made back the original investment by the time she was one. I love it!

After doing this for almost a year and half, I definitely have preference and my go-to diapers for certain things. Cloth diapering is one of my favorite baby topics to talk about. I kind of love it.  Here are the pros and cons I have found with the different diapers we use on a regular basis:

BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diaper

This is one of my go-to out of the house diapers.  Since I bought these as a seconds sale on Cotton Babies, I got them for $11 a piece, but no inserts.  My favorite way to stuff them used to be either with a flour sack towel or Charlie Banana insert. Now, to use either of those two I have to use an additional insert or doubler since her pee quantity has gone up. It is easier now to just stuff them with a prefold.

Pros: There are two HUGE pros with this diaper. First, it is simple to teach others to use.  We use snaps so I tell someone, "Count 4 snaps from the left and snap. Count 4 snaps from the right and snap. Done." Second, I know this diaper will not leak and will contain poop when we are out and about.  Crucial! Who wants to clean poop off a baby's butt, thighs, back, clothes, etc. in general much less in the grocery store?

Other pros: cute colors, multiple stuffing options,

Cons: The only one I can think of is that it isn't the trimmest option. When you have double up inserts, it is going to be fluffy!

**I have no idea what the inserts are like for the diapers. This is strictly for the shell.


Charlie Banana One Size Pocket Diaper

I got my only Charlie Banana diaper when Target carried them in stores.  The best part was I got it for 50% off!  I use the inserts that came with this diaper far more than I use the shell, but I will get into why below.  My friend uses these as her go-to, everyday diaper and loves them.  When I do use the shell, I have never had a problem and love the softness of the lining.

Pros: I can definitely see how this diaper would last until potty training.  For Gwen, the waist is still as tight as it goes without crossing the snap over.  Also, like I mentioned, the inserts are great and absorbent.

Cons: The part about this diaper I don't like is the thigh adjustment strap.  I am sure it is great and helps get a better fit, but I am intimidated by it.  I think I am going to put it on the wrong size setting then it will leak when I am out of the house.  That being said, I have never had this diaper leak.  I am just paranoid about it.  It looks like a bra strap found on the inside of the diaper. People who use these all the time would say it is no big deal, so don't let that deter you.

Imagine Prefolds

These are my everyday, all the time diaper. They still look as amazing as they did when I first bought them and Gwen is still in the size small. I use the unbleached cotton SmartFit kind. I simply trifold them and lay them in a Flip cover.

Pros: Affordable, easy to clean, natural fiber. Gwen is still in the size she was when she was 7 lbs. I have to size her up now so I can use the smalls on baby #2!

Cons: Gwen did start developing a rash from the wetness against her skin because unlike pocket diapers, there is no wicking layer between her skin and the absorbent piece. I simply went to JoAnn Fabric's, bought a half yard of micro-fleece, cut up liners, and the problem was resolved.

Flip

These are the covers I use everyday. Just like the BumGenius 4.0s, I got them at a seconds sale. They were only $7 each! Normally, they are $15 each. For Black Friday, I was able to score some more that are the discontinued colors for $5 each! I love that these have double flaps, one in the front and one in the back, which helps hold the prefold in place.

Pros: You can wipe out the cover in between changes as long as no poop gets on it and reuse it once it is dry. They are affordable, easy to use, don't need very many covers (cost effective), and versatile.

Cons: Not the easiest for on the go

**Once again, I have never used the inserts designed to go in the Flip cover.


Other random things I have learned:

1. Diaper sprayers make life 100x easier. We love the Bumkins brand and it has worked well for us on two different toilets. It is also cheaper than the BumGenius sprayer and has better reviews.
2. RLR is your friend when your diapers are looking dingy or aren't smelling quite right even after washing.
3. Make sure your water level matches the amount of diapers you are washing. I have heard it described as wanting it to be a stew, not soup. They need to agitate and rub against each other and not just float around. This was why mine weren't getting as clean.
4. Kelly's Closet has a Facebook diaper support group that is phenomenal. They have helped me solve problems and give great recommendations. I think you can search for it as "Cloth Diaper Support Group".
5. They are the easiest loads of laundry you do all week. There is no sorting, putting away in multiple bedrooms, hanging up on hangers, etc. I really don't even have to fold anything if I don't want to. It is the clothes laundry I can't keep up with. The diaper laundry is a breeze!

We will see how crazy things are when I have two in cloth. Right after baby #2 is born, I will take a break and have both kids in disposables until we have settled into our new normal. More to come on that later I am sure!