My first experience with cloth diapers

My son was the first to wear cloth diapers. We were having a problem with persistent rashes. At first we thought it was due to the wipes we were using so we switched to using scented wipes then sensitive...but that didn't really help. We tried every diaper rash cream & still nothing changed. I then began to wonder if the disposable diaper were the culprit. We tried all the brands, some made it worse while some made it better. I noticed that the cheaper brands in particular were the easiest on his bottom - but it still wasn't good enough. I started researching cloth diapers & really began believing that this would help. I discovered all the garbage they put in disposables & couldn't believe what I found...So, my mother & I went and bought a couple packs of the Gerber "cloth diapers". Boy, that was a big fat fail. They leaked HORRIBLY! They're made with polyester so no surprise there.

I posted on Freecycle & explained my situation. I didn't think of get a reply, but I did, surprisingly. I set up a time to go pick them up & got into a rather large fight with my husband (i believe over how far we had to drive, my husband was on call, & we were kinda low on gas). I picked them up, she told me she used them on at least two of her kids & how she would bleach them when they got too stained. I got home and put them on Dillinger excited that they might be the cure I was seeking. They were soo thin though that he needed changed within an hour. I was surprised that the woman who gave them to me was actually able to use them on her kids for so long, but it definitely helped. However, because he needed changed so often, they weren't practical - as grateful as I was.

I reluctantly went back to disposables & vented on a mommy forum I used to belong to. Happily, a fellow member contacted me & said she'd let me borrow her stash to use. I felt kind of guilty for some reason, & even offered to pay shipping (even though we were broke but I'm sure we could come up with something), but she refused & promptly shipped them out. She sent several different styles & brands, mostly fitteds (Thirsties cotton fitted (not sold anymore, but they have others), Little Beetle, & Kissaluvs), a couple Fuzzibunz pocket diapers, & a couple each Bumkins AIOs & covers.   She also sent some grapefruit seed extract to use on diaper rashes (you CANNOT use traditional creams as it ruins your diapers) & some poo liners. I was so overjoyed that words could not describe.  Not only was my baby boy going to get the relief he needed, but it was all so cute! 

They all worked really well, but I quickly picked favorites. The Fuzzibunz (old style, there's a new version out now - I haven't tried it yet) were by far our favorite. This was the first diaper my husband reached for. It was simple to use, required no cover, & was gentle on his tush. They never left any red marks on him, not even on his legs, but to be fair he was a slender baby. These were also probably my favorite night time diaper as well.  They did leak a few times, but nothing too serious. Considering he was a "really great sleeper" & sleeping 5-6 hours pretty much from the get-go (once we began cosleeping), this rated really well in that department. The only downside to them is you have to remove the insert prior to putting them in the diaper pail. It can get icky, but that didn't really bother me.

The Bumkins all-on-ones were really convenient. They required no stuffing and no cover. Changing was a breeze - just like using a disposable. They weren't terribly absorbent though - but were really trim. Definitely not a nighttime diaper. The PUL (the bit that keeps wetness in) was a little plasticy feeling, but that didn't bother me. Didn't seem to bother my son either.

Old style Bumkins AIO

The Bumkins covers were awesome. I only had two covers to use - both Bumkins - but that was all I needed. Because they were slightly plasticy if a little poop got on them, it was pretty easy to clean in the sink with a little detergent. I'd hang them to dry over the shower curtain rod & they were ready to go again in about two hour's time. Both the Bumping AIO's & covers come the cutest of prints. They are a fitted cover so you're going to need to buy several sizes throughout.

Bumkins new style cover (notice rounded tabs)

We did disposables at night for a while, but that stopped after a bit.  We had leaks & a couple blow-outs, but fewer than disposable diapers. If leaks happened, it was usually because we waited too long between changes or he slept for too long. Best of all, his rash cleared up. Granted, he still got the occasional rash, but I was able to get rid of it usually within a day or two.

I was so sad when he outgrew  them & I had to return them. I had hoped to get our own stash with the stimulus package that was given out back in the day, but we needed to fix our car...=\ I would choose cloth over disposable diapers any day...Granted, it's expensive to start cloth diapering at first, but it's actually cheaper to cloth diaper in the long run (I'll get into that some other time).

(Since I'm posting this from my phone, I'll add pictures & links later.)

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