Sewing Cloth Diapers

I would love to photograph and explain how to make cloth diapers, but I have yet to master the skill myself. It is hard! I have printed online patterns, made patterns based on this explanation, traced around diapers I liked and tried to make patterns off of those, but I've yet to make a diaper I'm very satisfied with.

The first one I made, I used fleece inside and out, and left a pocket for a microfiber insert. The diaper really doesn't leak as long as he's not wearing any other clothes (due to wicking). However, the rise is too low in the back so he's got a plumber's crack a lot of the time, which could prove to be a problem.

The next one I made is also fleece lined and has a pocket with another layer of fleece, then a layer of cotton on top. The cotton ends up wicking a lot of the moisture, so even with an insert this diaper needs a cover. It is way too big and bulky right now, (I pulled all of the bulk to the front so this picture would look cuter), but it will fit better down the road.

The most recent diaper I've tried uses actual PUL. PUL is the waterproof polyester laminate that most cloth diapers use. It has a fleece lining, a layer of PUL in the middle, and flannel on the outside. I also left a pocket for an insert in this one. The PUL was very thin and see-through and only worked well as an in-between layer.

Making cloth diapers is tough. I've had a very hard time managing the elastic, sewing through velcro. The sticky kind ruins needles and everything else, and I can't find the sew-on kind big enough. I finally found PUL in Springfield, at Handcock Fabric on Glenstone. They also honor Joann's coupons, so I had a 50% off one item coupon I used to get 1 yard of PUL at $5.50. The best deal on elastic I've found is at the FM Store - 9 cents per yard. I still don't have a pattern I really like. It seems like the serger always messes up around the tabs and they never look the same, even if I am really careful about cutting both sides the same. Considering all of the time it takes (me, at least), and the cost of materials, I'm not entirely sure if it's worthwhile. I do think it would be fun to make at least one diaper that fits Ben and looks cute too.

My friend Jenn posted her directions here. Printable diaper patterns can be found here.

All I can say is, good luck.

Cloth Wipes

We have started using cloth wipes and making our own wipes solution. There are several wipes solution recipes here. We are using 2 cups of water (boiled in the teapot first to prevent mold), 2 tbs baby wash, 2 tbs baby lotion, and 1 tbs olive oil.

With cloth diapering, it was less convenient to have one part to throw away and one to wash. It will be easier to put everything in the same diaper pail and toss it in the laundry.

I bought two washable diaper pail liners and I use a smaller kitchen trashcan as the diaper pail. For now, we have 3 diaper changing areas - one in the living room, one in our room and one in Ben's room. It's really not as much of a hassle as it sounds

I've seen all kinds of ways of making cloth wipes and I used old towels, t-shirts, and some fabric remnants to make different kinds. Mine are terry/t-shirt, terry/flannel, t-shirt/flannel, and flannel/flannel. I don't really know which kind I like best just yet, but all of them work so much better than disposable wipes at cleaning up messes.

I've saved a couple of the plastic boxes from disposable wipes and I can fit about 12 cloth wipes in there, then I mix the solution and pour it over the top. I have noticed that the wipes are cold, but not anymore than the disposable ones were.

They wash really well and it's hard for me to imagine buying more disposible wipes again. I wouldn't have even considered cloth diapers or wipes had I not met other people doing the same. It's amazing how our mindset is focused on purchasing disposable everything. I wonder how many other disposable things I could replace if I really put my mind to it...

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We attended Grandma Elsie's funeral today. The service was nice and you could tell that my grandmother was very loved. After the family lunch at the church, we had a rough trip home. Ben was not interested in sitting in the car for another several hours and we had to stop several times. We were all exhausted by the time we made it home.

Cloth Diaper Review

My method to cloth diapering has been to buy a little of everything and see what works for us. Today's post is about what I've bought and what I think of each style and brand. Granted, I've only been doing this for a short time and I can't account for the durability of everything. This is the summary of my experience:

Prefolds - (old-fashioned cloth diapers, aka burp rags) I started off thinking I would go the least expensive route and bought prefolds diapers and wraps. In order to make them more absorbent I added a doubler and then to prevent diaper rash I added a thin layer of microfleece. By the time all of the layers were together and I secured with a snappi, this became the most time consuming and least dad-friendly method so it only lasted about a week. I also bought Gerber prefolds which are horrible. Green Mountain Diaper prefolds are the best, followed by anything that says diaper service quality or "Indian" or "Chinese" for some reason are also quite popular. I didn't use these long enough to know why.

From left to right, swim diaper (still in package), some doublers / soakers (adds absorbency), a bunch of microfleece liners, and some prefold diapers

Fitteds - (These are velcro or snap closure diapers that are absorbent but not waterproof so they need a wrap.) I lucked into a stack of old fitted diapers at a yard sale for a quarter each, so I bought all of them. The elastic is shot, velcro needs to be replaced, but they still do the job. These are much easier than prefolds and go on like a diaper with a wrap around it. I also bought four Thirsties fitted diapers. Three snaps and one is velcro. The velcro one is easier to put on and absorbs a ton. The snap ones are good too, but they don't seem to fit Ben as well. All of the Thirsties are really bulky and don't work with my smaller wraps.

Wraps - (These are thin waterproof, breathable diaper covers that either velcro or snap on.) My absolute favorite wraps are the Bummis Whisper Wraps. I have two and they have very cute prints, wash well, don't stain, we've had no leaks, and they fit Ben really well. I also bought these at a yard sale and they could stand to have the velcro replaced but they are the first ones I go for. I have two other wraps, a Bunnyfeet Boutique one-size wrap and a Tot Wraps cover. I love how the Bunnyfeet wrap is one size, but it snaps on the sides and I really don't like that as much as the wraps that snap or velcro in front. It's also super cute monkey fabric, it washes really well and puts up with the occasional velcro stuck to it without tearing up. The Tot Wraps cover is made by a local mom and I love the idea of supporting our local economy. It has never leaked on me, but it is super tiny. The small is advertised as 12-22 lbs, but there is no way Ben could wear it when he reached 12 pounds even. I don't know if I got a mis-tagged one, but it will be great for the next baby. It is the smallest diapering thing I have. It gets really messed up when around velcro. The edging has completely pilled and looks worn out because of the occasional velcro come loose in the wash. This hasn't hurt it's functionality at all though, and it still works great.

Bunnyfeet, Bummis, Bummis, and Tot Wraps

Pockets - (Pocket diapers are covers with a pocket in them to stuff an absorbent pad inside instead of using a fitted or prefold diaper. Because I can stuff them all when they come off the line, these are Josh's favorites because you just put them on like a regular diaper with one step.) These are my favorites. As close to sposies (cloth diapering slang for disposable diapers) as possible, easy for travel and very absorbent. I've tried many kinds of these. The first ones I bought were Fuzzi Bunz. These fit very trim, haven't leaked, and quite practical. I have 2 in boring white but they come in way better colors. They are smalls, so will not fit forever, but are pretty adjustable and they snap close instead of velcro, which makes them easier for washing but not Josh's first choice. I have one Swaddlebees size medium pocket diaper and it's just as great as the Fuzzi Bunz but has a velcro closure. It is the trimmest fitting diaper we have and the sizing runs small, but looks the best under clothes.

Our family favorite is Bum Genius pocket diapers. They are one size, meaning they fit from birth (maybe a little big at first) through potty training (maybe a little small by then, not sure). The size adjusts with snaps as does the insert. They velcro close and come in great colors. Bum Genius diapers are super absorbent and don't stain easily (and sun out well if they do stain). If I started over I would probably just buy all these, and I'm slowly selling off some of my stuff I don't like in order to buy (or trade for) more BGs. They are a bit bulky and the velcro and elastic will wear out and need to (most likely) be replaced after a kid or two.

All Bum Genius pocket diapers. The front three show the small, medium and large size when adjusted with the snaps on the front. (Two were in the diaper bag and one more was on Ben.)

All In Ones - (AIOs are exactly as they sound, one diaper all put together. Some have a space for an insert if you want to add more absorbency, but they don't need it for daytime use. It's no different from a sposie, you just throw it in the wash instead.) I've got a few Bum Genius AIOs, a Thirsties AIO and a Tot Wraps AIO. The Bum Genius AIOs are ok, but I bought them well-used and the elastic and velcro could stand some refurbishing. They also take forever to dry, so they aren't my favorites. The Thirsties AIO seems to hold up better than the Bum Genius but also takes forever to dry. The Tot Wraps Dream Diaper AIO is my favorite all in one because of the super soft velour lining and quickest drying time. It can have an insert added but doesn't need it (unless you have a way heavy wetter). The one I ordered closes with snaps and I might ask for a velcro one next time. It's also super thin and looks a lot less bulky under clothes than the Bum Genius diapers. You do need to make sure none of the velour is sticking out to keep it from wicking, though.

Dream Diaper, 2 Fuzzi Bunz, Swaddlebees The Thirsties and Bum Genius were still in the dryer - taking forever to dry...
If I were to start from scratch, I would probably buy all Dream Diapers if I wanted new or all Bum Genius Pockets or Swaddlebees if I wanted used. Bum Genius diapers are easy to come by used and work the best for us and the Dream diapers are really nice and contribute to our local economy. Swaddlebees are so trim and look just like a disposable under clothes. If you're looking to buy new, I'd recommend Little Clothesline out of Springfield, or if you're looking for used I'd recommend Diaperswappers (I'll warn you, it can be a little overwhelming).

There is also a huge debate of velcro versus snaps. From what I can tell, most moms prefer snaps because everything doesn't get all jumbled up in the laundry and pill. Almost all velcro diapers have laundry tabs to keep that from happening, but these need to be replaced every now and then. Josh prefers the velcro and honestly, it's a lot faster and much easier for middle of the night changes, so we have a combination of both.

Here's my diaper stash pic (pretty good for only bartering or using my eBay sales to purchase). Five diapers are missing - 2 BGs in the diaper pail, 1 BG on Ben, 1 Thirsties AIO in the dryer and 1 BG AIO in the dryer. The brightly colored fabric on the right is the medium wetbag I recently traded for on Diaperswappers.

I've got about 20 pockets / all in ones, 4 wraps, 21 fitted diapers, and 4 prefolds. I'm considering ditching the last of the wraps, fitteds and prefolds and going straight to pockets and all in ones, but I'm worried I might regret that if/when the next baby comes along. The fitteds are said to work well with the tiny babies, so I don't know.

Other diaper related purchases have included two waterproof, washable pail liners, two wet bags (one medium one to keep at our changing station in the living room and one small one for the diaper bag), and Jenny's Simply Clean diaper pail freshener through Diaperswappers (I got lemon and it smells awesome).

I spend on average $12 / used pockets or all in ones and $5 for used fitteds (except the crazy yard sale deal) and about $6 for used wraps. I have also bartered quite a bit for the majority of my diaper collection, and prices vary greatly depending on the condition. All of the new prices are on the Little Clothesline website and are pretty comparable to anywhere else. I've also ordered a couple of handmade ones through Etsy, but they are taking FOREVER to get here, so I'm not even going to recommend them for that reason alone.

Ben is a happy cloth diaper baby.

Bartering

I planned on posting about our beautifully planted square foot garden, but it didn't happen today. Once again our garden plans were spoiled by rain. And it figures that we are expecting our first week of sunshine this spring, the same week we have to spend in the hospital. Oh well.

As my cloth diapering experience continues, I have decided to slowly switch to Bum Genius (out of St. Louis) pocket diapers. The prefolds and Snappi (as I demonstrated a little over a week ago) routine wasn't bad, but it was not realistic for middle of the night diaper changes or on the go, so I started buying pocket diaper to supplement and they are way easier for us. I don't have near enough to use those exclusively, but as I am continuing to sell clothes on eBay, I am buying a few here and there. By the end of summer we should have enough to only use pocket diapers (without spending any out of pocket $!) which will be easier for everyone.

Outside of eBay, I am looking into bartering. Diaper Swappers has message boards dedicated to moms looking to trade all sorts of things, including clothes, movies, home-made items, and of course cloth diapers. It is so exciting to think of trading to get rid of stuff we don't need in exchange for what we do, without buying or selling at all. I have yet to seal the deal on my first transaction, but I've got a couple of ideas floating around and I'll be sure to post my first successful barter. If I can find the things I want then between that and eBay I hope to spend almost no money on extra (fun) shopping this summer.

Now that my couponing phase is pretty much over (we're fully stocked in all applicable areas for now), this is another great frugal way to get rid of clothes and other things we don't need in exchange for stuff we do!

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Today Ben wore an outfit my mom MADE back in '86 for my little brother. It's adorable and almost makes me want to learn to sew. Almost.

Diaper Demo

For now, this is how we're diapering Ben.

1. Lay down the prefold.


2. Lay a soaker pad inside (we won't have to do this when we get better prefolds.


3. Fold.


4. Lay a piece of microfleece on top (to keep moisture off Ben and prevent diaper rash).


5. Lay baby on top and fold.


6. Pull diaper around the sides.


7. Fold down the top and hold sides down.


8. Clip with Snappi.


9. Lay cover under.


10. Snap together and make sure none of the prefold is sticking out around the edges.


That's probably the most complicated way to cloth diaper and even then it doesn't take more than a minute or so longer than putting on a disposable diaper. I've also ordered some pocket diapers that are only one step, just like a disposable but made of cloth. We'll use those when we're out and about.

In other exciting news, Josh put in my clothesline! I know that may seem like a silly thing to be so excited about, but I haven't been able to line dry clothes at this house very easily because the dogs could pull the clothes off the line so easily. I saw this clothesline in my grandpa's barn and asked for it. Dad brought it over for me, Josh put it in the ground with quick create, and I painted it and restrung it.

Cloth Diapering

Yes, you read that right - cloth diapers. I can picture 98% of my friends rolling their eyes at this. And I know I said I wouldn't at least a dozen times, but came across a great deal online and thought I'd give it a shot. I actually started last night, but figured I'd wait it out the first 24 hours before I "came out."

Cloth diapering is not at all like what I thought it was. I've got a not quite two dozen prefolds, a cover, a snappi, and two waterproof bags to keep the soiled diapers in ($30 spent total.) I've bought quite a few other things online and I am trying to make sure a lot of I buy is one-size, meaning it is adjustable with snaps from newborn through toddler-hood.

For those of you who don't know, this is what I'm talking about:
prefolds: old-fashioned cotton cloth diaper
covers: waterproof snap-on or velcro diaper cover that goes on over the prefold
snappi: the new substitute for diaper pins that holds a cloth diaper on the baby

As far as the laundry goes, I had to wash the prefolds several times when I very first bought them in hot water to make them more absorbent. After that, we keep all of the wet and dirty diapers in a waterproof bag until we're ready to wash. I do a cold wash with 1/4 of the recommended laundry detergent and a little bit of baby oxiclean, then hot wash with 1/4 of the recommended laundry detergent (free and clear only) sometimes with a Downy ball of white vinegar. Then another cold rinse and line dry everything if it's a nice day, or hang the covers to dry and put the prefolds in the dryer. No dunking, wet pails, or any of the other antiquated things I originally envisioned. As far as putting the diaper on, I'll post our version tomorrow.

There are numerous types of cloth diapers and way easier ways to do it if you are willing to spend the money. I will probably expand my collection to a few other types as I find good deals, but using prefolds with covers is the least expensive method by far. I have also been selling things on eBay for the past few weeks and I'm limiting myself to that money to spend on cloth diapers, so nothing is coming out of our bank account or credit cards.

I've still got tons of disposable diapers in the top of Ben's closet. We still need them for now, as I don't have enough cloth to do that exclusively yet. We'll also use disposables for when Ben's at mom's or Pam's.

And for the people who argue that cloth is actually worse for the environment, I've seen a lot of evidence on both sides, but I'm leaning towards cloth being better for the environment as long as you aren't using bleach (which we don't), and when you consider the original cost and natural resources that go into producing the disposables in addition to the landfill waste. Either way, it's far less expensive and that is one of my biggest priorities these days.

Ben also looks so cute in his very first cloth diaper.