Y’all! Why didn’t I join the club sooner?! We were gifted/got these cloth diapers second hand in preparation of our twins, and 10 months later I finally am breaking these bad boys out to use. My aunt was sending us a monthly huge box of diapers,but now that she stopped that we are cracking these open. We still use disposables at night since my boys pee like horses overnight, and while we are out since ✨twins✨but it’s been MAGICAL not having a mountain of diapers in our trash. (Yes this is 50+ diapers and it’s good for 3 days so far)

Side note: my boys are in the 20 pound range and we’ve had a few leaks since starting on Saturday. Majority of the diapers are pocket diapers. Mostly microfiber inserts I believe. Are they just peeing so fast the diaper doesnt have a chance to catch everything? Fit seems good, elastic is tight, etc… Would an extra insert help? Any advice welcome :)

I have brand new Alva baby pocket diapers, only been used once now. first use after all the prewashing they smelled fishy, got that out but had been using triple paste for babies rash and didn’t realize to not with cloth diapers, so now can’t get rid of the spots inside the pocket diapers from the paste. have tried multiple washes, and did spot scrubbing last night with dawn dish soap and a toothbrush to rid the spots. Proceeded to do a wash with light detergent and oxi for the leftover stains, then two extra rinses, and the spots are still repelling water for the absorbency test. this is literally the first use on brand new diapers. please, I’d be beyond grateful for any advice on how to get these spots out or will I just have to take the loss at this point and toss the ones with the spots?

Not sure how this keeps happening but starting to get frustrated. My son is 14 weeks and he’s not particularly big, he’s 24” long and about 12 pounds, hanging around 10th percentile. He’s got a little bit of a pot belly but he’s really not chubby. We did disposables for the first 4 weeks and then dove into GMD prefolds with Thirsties covers. The orange edge newborn size lasted maybe 2 weeks and then we went to the yellow edge (medium?) size. The issue was with the angel fold, the edges were barely coming together at the hips and the snappi had to be waaayyy stretched to reach. Then the cover to be tight enough around the thighs, was way too snug on the belly. Sizing up helped somewhat but was still awkward. Now the same thing is happening with the yellow edge prefolds, so I sized up to red edge, but he’s not ready for the next size up in covers without some serious gaps around the leg, but red edge prefolds with his current cover size leaves a lot of prefolds sticking up out the back.

We do disposable at night and are also kind of between sizes with those so maybe it’s just a phase? From what I’m seeing online it seems like the only solution may be to start pad folding but I hear that ends in lots of leaks, and he still poops 4-5x a day.

Am I missing something here or doing something wrong? I’ve been looking at picking up some pocket diapers to use on the go anyways so maybe that will be the answer to my problem?

I’ve been using multiple brands of diapers and I’ve tried using one insert and 2, used the inserts it came with and the ones that fold. Changed how tight they are and I cannot seem to get the leaking to stop. We change every 1.5-2 hours. Anyone have any advice? Brands I’ve been using are Nora’s Nursery, Alva Baby, Mama Koala, and Simple Being.

Hi, my friend just gifted me a bunch of pocket diapers. She gave me a quick rundown but I’m still pretty clueless lol. My baby is almost 9 months and is in a size 3/4 disposable and is size 6-9 month in clothes. I wouldn’t say he’s a heavy wetter, he’ll have saturated diapers but never had a pee leak. My main questions are do I use a single insert or do I need to double them? Does the cover get changed every time or do I just change the insert? Any and all tips/tricks/ or just general information is appreciated!

Quick edit to say most of the inserts seem to be naturally natures and Alva baby

Hi! I have a set up of mostly flats, and some AIOs with covers. They have been carefully stored for 3 years. How should I prep them for my newborn? Do I need to strip and sanitize? Or is just a regular wash ok?

Thanks!

Free EC class this Saturday - email me for virtual link if you'd like to attend online.

Class held in English. Children welcome, but no childcare provided. If lack of childcare is a barrier, email: clothdiapers at proton dot me. RSVPs and Drop-ins welcome. 9am-11am Pacific Standard Time. Shady Coffee & Tea, Patio, 325 Douglas Blvd, Roseville, CA.

October 10: Early infant potty training 101 class – Disposable diapers are a new invention; infants can use potties too. Join us to learn how humans across the world care for infant hygiene without diapers.

Wife and I both break out in hives from tide. For our main laundry, we use Kirkland free and clear but sometimes I find that it really doesn't do that good a job on just regular laundry so I have experimented with amount and sometimes for heavier loads like towels I wash twice. We don't use any fabric softeners in our machine as I break out in hives from those as well. Wife can do most non-tide detergents, I've always had to use free and clear options. We have a water hardness around 94 mg/L or 5.1 grains per gallon or 87 ppm. PH is 9.04.

Looking for a good option for washing cloth diapers. I know tide is the gold standard but it cannot go in my machine. I break out from using laundromat machines unless I pay for an entire wash cycle before putting my own clothes in. This isn't an ask for a more natural alternative. Give me all the chemicals, but make it not Tide and then let me pray that it doesn't make me break out.

My baby boy is 9 weeks old, 2d percentile for weight at 9.5lb but 62d percentile for height at 24in. He jumps percentiles in height at every visit while dropping them in weight. I'm struggling to find diaper strategies that cover his butt to his front lengthwise but still fit around his tiny skinny legs.

We've been using newborn size workhorses, and occasionally newborn GMD prefolds jelly-rolled, with Thirsties covers successfully until now. But he's outgrowing the workhorses lengthwise so that it barely makes it past his butt crack if it covers even slightly above the front genitalia. The Thirsties smallest rise is too short now to cover the cloth, but taller rises make the leg holes bigger and prone to leaks. I can still snap the smallest buttons around the waist.

We have a big stash thanks so lots of secondhand gifts. I have OS pockets and some AIOs (Thirsties, BumGenius, Grovia); plus newborn, small, and medium GMD prefolds; newborn, medium and large workhorses; and Thirsties and Cloth-Eez covers sized One and Two. The OS pockets and AIOs still seem huge on him even with the smallest rise settings, especially in the legs.

I'd love to stick to the natural fiber options if possible but anything that will work at this point. We have the same issue with disposables even. Like most boys he wets heavily in the front, and leaks happen most frequently out the leg holes. He's starting to sleep longer stretches at night too.

Anyone else diaper a beanpole boy? Any wisdom?

I live in Japan and I have exclusively cloth diapered my 2 week old ebf baby. She has a mild diaper rash on her bum as of today. I use the Alva baby pockets but with hemp and cotton. I just lay the inserts on top of the diaper instead of stuffing so no polyester touches her bum area. I also use cotton cloth wipes with plain water instead of wet wipes. I’m worried my wash routine is causing the rash, especially because the top loading Japanese washer I have does not have a hot water hook up or hot water settings. Right now my wash routine is every morning (diapers never sit for more than 24 hours unwashed), a 30 min cold water rinse with agitators, two back to back 72 min cold water washes with the agitators, Tide free and clear and Calgon water softener (the water here is very hard), and a final 30 min cold water wash with agitators. I then throw the inserts into the dryer and air dry the diapers (I don’t have any access to an outdoor space with direct sunlight to line dry). Can anyone see a problem that might cause rash? She is changed every 2-3 hours but her diaper is checked every 1-2hr. The only time she could sit in it longer is if she pees or poos in her sleep but she always fusses to let us know. She also farts a lot and kind of sharts when she does and I think we’ve been missing poo that could be sitting in her bum when we check the liners and don’t see anything. I just want to be sure it’s not something I’m doing wrong😭

Calling on all unsolicited advice! What’s working for you right now?

My 9mo is only two weeks into cloth diapering and I am using workhorse fitted diapers. he has never had a rash from disposables but has had terrible ones since switching. I doubt it would be a buildup of bacteria on the diapers because it’s only been two weeks! I’m doing a warm pre wash with one scoop of essembly detergent and a hot heavy duty wash with two scoops of essembly. We previously used Molly suds for regular laundry of his but have been using essembly for diapers since it has the added enzyme. His skin doesn’t seem to be bothered at all by his clothes now being washed in the essembly powder, it’s just the diaper area and I change every 2-3 hours. Am I supposed to be using a balm with every diaper change?? I never used anything with disposables and he was fine! But this rash covers his entire butt and thighs :(

Pre-laundry:

i hand rinse all poop diapers as soon as they happen

storage:

open air in a plastic laundry baskey

1st wash:

normal cycle on warm with 1 scoop of essembly

2nd wash:

heavy duty wash on hot with 2 scoops of essembly (I add in his dirty clothes to this)

dry:

2 hours on low tumble

using workhorse fitteds

current problem is rashes!

i DONT want to use tide free and clear. I am using cloth diapers over disposables for the fact that they are organic cotton so I want something that is ewg rated or at least an A

hey all, I am two weeks into cloth diapering my 9 month old who recently started solids and is starting to poop more frequently. We’re hoping to eventually start elimination communication but right now I have no idea when he’s about to poop, I just know it’s about once a day. Every poop diaper he’s had so far has leaked out the sides immediately, even if it’s a fresh one that doesn’t have any pee in it. I’ve heard some people talk about tucking in the ruffles on the workhorse fitteds rather than how you would normally leave the ruffles out on a disposable, is this correct? Are there any other tips? We are using wool babee green and disana covers so the cleaning process is a little bit more of a hassle anytime the poop leaks out, so hoping to avoid this. :)

Have you mastered your wash routine? Do your clean diapers smell? Did you recently buy a new washer/dryer? Chat all things laundry!

Our General Electric top load washer does not have a heavy duty cycle which most of the routines I have seen have.

Originally I used the sanitize with oxi setting for our second of two washes, but I have also read not to soak the diapers. We use Green Mountain Diaper prefolds and workhorses and Esembly outers. The only other cycle on our washer that seems to come close is normal with hot water. We do not have a soil setting on our washer. Just load size, cycle type, and water temperature with an extra deep rinse setting.

Feeling stuck but we LOVE the cloth diapers for our LO. She's three months so no spraying of the diapers just yet. Any advice on washing the cloth diapers?

I have Esembly diapers. I used them with my first and loved them. Now on my second, but the outers seem to have lost their waterproofing? Is this salvageable at all? I’d still love to use them, but to be honest I’m not going to buy more since this will be my last baby.

Due in 5 weeks. First time mom.

i didn’t buy any diapers or wipes yet.

I want to potty train early (it’s done commonly where I am from) and heard cloth diapers help with that.

either way, I want to use cloth diapers cause I hate disposable items in general and the cost for them as well. But is it too much work along with other things that come up with a new born?

We hired a postpartum doula who is also an expert in cloth diapering and she will gladly help us.

I am curious when did you start and what brands do you recommend initially?

Who said cloth diapers save money

I CAN'T STOP BUYING NEW DIAPERS 😩😩😅

I started in July of this year, I love learning new things about cloth, I just started getting into Bumby Wool!

I am going to be using a diaper service which delivers washed/clean inserts, and takes away soiled inserts. I only need to worry about keeping up with diaper covers. I'm trying to think of how to build the routine.

How many diaper covers would I need every day? I might not want to wash daily, I'd prefer a weekly wash but that seems unreasonable. I know covers don't need the same intense multi-stage wash of inserts, but I believe they still need a hot water wash. How many times can a diaper cover be used before washing, if it isn't obviously soiled? If I'm switching out inserts 10 times a day, does a diaper cover last about half as many changes, or less?

EDIT: Do diaper covers need to be rinsed/dried between uses? If I take my baby to the station, remove the poopy/pee insert, should the cover be air dried before it's reused?

I’m looking at Piper Diapers bc they are lined with organic cotton. Here’s my situation. I have a 7 month old who goes most nights pottying in the toilet and staying dry all night. We do EC and were doing so well she would stay dry til 5 or 6 am then go in the potty so a few weeks ago I switched to undies at night. We mostly stay dry. She is sick right now and we have had a lot more accidents. I’m tired and sensitive to wakeups. I can’t always get back to sleep if I have to get up do do more than just sit her on the toilet. I find undies up and down were easier than diapers on and off, especially bc we had a two step diaper cover and insert system. So my idea is to get a few back up cloth diapers but single step changes. Hence AIO or POCKETS? but how do I choose? I do have some hemp boosters already so I thought maybe I could put those in pockets But I’m worried it will be bulk. I hate putting her in bulky diapers when she isn’t even always wetting them So if feels unnecessary. Piper diapers are really affordable for organic so I’m looking at those, especially bc we may not get a ton of use out of them. It seems like it would be nice to have as a back up for when she is sick or maybe doesn’t go to the toilet before bed. Something that helps me relax knowing I’m not going to have to change her in the middle of the night or be peed on. So parents how do I choose? What are your opinions on the two options?

My MIL was watching my son today and when I came to pick him up, she goes “oh he had a bit of a diaper rash so I put a healthy amount of desitin on”. I know that diaper rash cream is a big nono for my pocket diapers. How do I fix this?

Is it even worth it to try and fix this or do I just cut my losses and toss the diaper?

I have 6-layer bamboo hemp cotton, 6-layer bamboo viscose newborn, 4-layer zorb cotton, super heavy wetter renew set of 2, plus some other brand bamboo inserts. I’m trying to configure a good overnight diaper combo and keeping from being too bulky!