Considering CD and some questions about it!?

Hi!

I'm looking into CDing my DD, who is almost 7 months and has started on solids. I've done some basic reading and I think I want to go with Pocket or AIO diapers. There is NO WAY DH will go for anything that he has to figure out how to put it on - he has semi-trouble with snapped pj's! LOL

Problem is that there seem to be too many actual types out there! I will need to send a stash to daycare 3 days a week and am home 4 days. I think I'd want OS types, but not sure on that.

What is your favorite Pocket diaper? Your next favorites and why?

What is your favorite AIO diaper, next favorites and why?

How long do the AIO diapers really take to dry if you line dry outside?

Would you recommend OS type diaper, or sized diapers?

How the heck do you clean these things again - for dummies version please! :ROFL: I have an older toploading washer.

Lastly - how do I convince DH that its cost effective, and that it's not difficult or smelly?

At this point in the game, I'd go for one size diapers first to see how you like them.
I haven't tried any AIOs. We use Kawaii pockets. I'm not the biggest fan of their APLIX microfiber diapers, but I love the Kawaii bamboo pockets.
It took using them for a couple of weeks for DH to get more on board. He doesn't do anything for the diapers other than take them off and put new ones on. He recently started actually getting the poop off, but DS's poop is pretty solid now so it just plops off the diapers. It just took me taking the plunge and hiding the disposables we had left over and he adjusted. :)
As far as washing goes, simple is best. I do a cold rinse. Then a hot wash with detergent which includes a cold rinse. Then a 2nd cold rinse. I do have to manually set the extra rinses since I don't have a fancy washer. I line dry my diapers. In the TX sun, everything is dry within 2 hours (I have mostly pockets and prefolds).

What is your favorite Pocket diaper? Your next favorites and why?

I use AMP pockets (made in Canada, I'm not sure how available they are in the US) and Kawaii pockets. I prefer the AMP ones, but Kawaiis are good too. I find the snaps on the AMP to be better placed and provide a trimmer fit on my DD.

What is your favorite AIO diaper, next favorites and why?

I only have a couple AIOs and they are AMPs... I like them a lot, but really can't compare.

How long do the AIO diapers really take to dry if you line dry outside?

I pretty much always use the dryer, but the AIO don't take any longer to dry.

Would you recommend OS type diaper, or sized diapers?

The sized ones are definitely trimmer, but it makes way more sense cost-wise to do OS.

How the heck do you clean these things again - for dummies version please! :ROFL: I have an older toploading washer.

I have a front loader - I do a cold wash without soap, then a hot wash with soap (2 tsp of Country Save) and an extra rinse, then into the dryer. Every now and then, I do a second hot wash without soap - I've never had problems with smelly dipes, but am a little paranoid. :)

Lastly - how do I convince DH that its cost effective, and that it's not difficult or smelly?


My DH was sold on the cost factor. I figure with disposables I spent at least $30/mo on diapers. Times that by at least 18mo in diapers. So, you'll spent close to $600 on diapers at the VERY least. You can buy a TON of cloth for that amount. I've spent no more than $300 (a mix of pockets, AIO, and prefolds) and am set until potty training. If you plan on having more kids, the saving just pile up!

My DH still thinks it is kind of gross, but really, he thinks changing any sort of poppy diaper is gross :rolleyes: He got used to it, and folds a mean prefold!

For just starting out, I'd also go with OS Pocket Diapers. I tried AIO's and didn't like them. They're too stinky! It's hard to get them nice and clean since you don't take the inserts out when you wash.

You can stuff the diapers after washing, before you put them away. All daddy has to do is pull a diaper out of the drawer and he's good to go. Simple!

My fav pocket diaper is probably BumGenius 4.0's. Next up is Kawaii diapers. BumGenius stands behind theirs for a year from the date of purchase if you have the original receipt.

I think to prove to dh, just buy a few to try out. Wash them, have him use them a couple times to see what he thinks.

What is your favorite Pocket diaper? Your next favorites and why?
I'ved used FuzziBunz, bumgenius and Kawaiis. I would say my favorite are BG's but I have more Kawaii's b/c they are unbelievably inexpensive by comparison. FB's were ok but didn't fit my DD as well. Although I do have a OS that fits her much better now than it did early on.

What is your favorite AIO diaper, next favorites and why?
I've only used one and they are Grovia's. I do really like them b/c even though they are an AIO, the layers on the inside are sort of separate. I'm sure their website has pictures if you want to see. I only use AIO's at nap time though. I was having some issues with our pockets leaking and AIO's fixed that problem.

How long do the AIO diapers really take to dry if you line dry outside? A couple of hours at most? I really don't find that they take that long to dry. My washing machine does a really good job spinning most of the water out though. A top loader will definitely leave them more wet so it may take you longer.

Would you recommend OS type diaper, or sized diapers? I think OS would be your best investment. If you had a newborn then you would need some smaller diapers but at this point OS really makes the most sense.

How the heck do you clean these things again - for dummies version please! :ROFL: I have an older toploading washer.

I do one cold rinse (or wash if I want to get a little more water through them) w/o detergent. Then I do a hot wash with detergent and add on an extra rinse. A top loader is kind of nice when it comes to diapers b/c it will use plenty of water. People with front loaders tend to have more issues but I've been fortunate in that regard.

Lastly - how do I convince DH that its cost effective, and that it's not difficult or smelly?
The first time I brought it up to my DH he thought I was crazy. I was only a few months pregnant at the time so I had plenty of time to work on him. ;) If you just sit down and do a little math then you can see pretty quickly how you can save money, as long as you spend your money wisely on cloth. Some people do spend more b/c they cannot resist always buying the newest and cutest diaper out there. And all diapers are going to be smelly but I take care of the diaper rinsing which is the messiest part. I don't mind. Much to my surprise, my DH will wash the diapers w/o me even asking. He came around and really doesn't mind!

https://www.gro-via.com/cloth/grovia-aio.html

Link to pictures of the Grovias

I have two friends--one IRL and one here who were sold on cloth doing the trial thru Jillian's Drawers! Check them out...

http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/produ.../tryclothfor10

We use only One-Size Diapers, I was like you and knew that it would be the only thing DH would go for. I did a trial through a website which was unbelievably helpful, because the diapers I thought would be best weren't the best for us, and the ones I never thought I'd like I ended up loving! Our stash consists of:
6 Fuzzibunz one-size - they are my favorite, I love the adjustability and fit
6 Sunbaby one-size - these are actually really good quality considering that they only cost me $6 each
4 Kawaii one-size - these are my least favorite in my stash, I just find they are way too big
2 Rumparooz one-size - I like to use these for overnight

I also really liked the TotsBots Easy Fits, they're kind of a cross between an AIO and a pocket, they were awesome but they are too pricy for us so I couldn't get any in my stash.

I didn't like Bumgenius, they were okay but they leaked more than the others, or Happy Heinys, they leaked quite frequently. But that could just be the way they fit DS, I really do suggest finding some sort of nearby trial program so you can see what diapers work best on your LO :)

What is your favorite Pocket diaper? Your next favorites and why? BumGenious one-size. I haven't really tried anything else. Well, I have FuziBunz too, but prefer the bumgenious.

Would you recommend OS type diaper, or sized diapers? definately one-size

How the heck do you clean these things again - for dummies version please! I have an older toploading washer. I have an old washer too, it is pretty easy, just have to manually turn it back on for the extra rinses as others described above.

Lastly - how do I convince DH that its cost effective, and that it's not difficult or smelly? I didn't give DH much of a choice. Once they were bought, the cost was done. He knows all handle all the washing and it is not like disposables are not smelly, CDs are about the same for us so far.

What is your favorite Pocket diaper? Your next favorites and why?
Sunbaby- trim, soft, cute, affordable --- there is an entire post dedicated to them. I need to update some of my previous thoughts on them actually.
I also have 1 bumGenius, 1 Happy Heinys, 1 FuzziBunz, 2 Rumparooz, 2 old style Katydids (now Oh Katy), and several "Sunshine" diapers I bought off of eBay (I use these overnight with a hemp insert behind the microfiber insert). They all have positives and negatives. Mostly my problems with them are the way they fit around my babies' waists/hips.

What is your favorite AIO diaper, next favorites and why?
I currently have no AIO diapers in my stash, but I did have a few when my twins were NB. We had lil joeys and bumGenious. Proof that not all diapers fit every baby the same... Aiden would more often than not leak out of both while Alaina wouldn't. I liked them both for different reasons-- lil joeys were trimmer through the legs but the bumGenious were trimmer as far as bulk--fitting better under their clothes.

How long do the AIO diapers really take to dry if you line dry outside? I found that the lil joeys took FOREVER to dry. I would have to dry them in the dryer 2-3 times-- no joke! But the bumGenius only took about an hr more to dry.

Would you recommend OS type diaper, or sized diapers? I'd say OS. Way more cost effective.

How the heck do you clean these things again just like others- knock off/spray solids in the toilet. Rinse on cold, hot wash (I use Rockin Green detergent), double rinse.

Lastly - how do I convince DH that its cost effective, and that it's not difficult or smelly?
Sit down and calculate with him how much disposables will cost for two years and point out that some kids are in diapers a lot longer. Then tell him how much it will cost to build a stash of cd. Don't forget to add in the cost of wipes! BIG savings there too. It will cost more upfront, but you save in the long run. Like someone else pointed out, the savings only increase if you plan on having more kids.

My husband says the hardest thing for him with cd is remembering which setting to use on the different brands of diapers I have. He likes our Sunbaby diapers because he uses them the most and knows how to put them on to where they won't leak. He would be happy if he never had to use any of the others. Once you practice it is just as easy as a sposie, except you use snaps instead of sticky paper tabs. (I would recommend snaps over Velcro btw.)

All diapers stink when dirty! But with disposable ones you aren't rinsing off poop before they sit in the pail. And while we were transitioning between sposies to cloth, I found that they stayed in the pail longer before being taken to the trash vs walking down the hall and putting on a load of diaper laundry.

HTH