cloth diapers

We have been using cloth diapers for over a month now and things are going great! I realize this post may be boring, but when I was thinking about using cloth I loved to read what worked and didnt work for other moms.

So here is what works for us....

I really like the Flip diaper system. This includes diaper covers and inserts. Many people use the prefold inserts, but so far I only have the Flip inserts. They are easy and are working great, so I will continue to use them. They come in packs of three and I could use another pack or two. I think the absorbancy is great. These diapers hold everything in!

I worked on building my stash during my pregnancy, taking advantage of diaper sales and only purchasing gender neutral colors. Once Kate was born, I just had to add a few pink ones to the mix. The Flips come in super cute colors, which although not necessary, is an added bonus.

                          

I spent some time thinking about my diapering process and what would work best for Peter and I and our house. I keep the diapers separated in the changing table in her room. We have one pail (yellow) for disposables (yes, I still use these at night and various other times) and wipes. And another pail (white) for the cloth diapers. I purchased a Planet Wise pail liner (super cute colors) and I am so glad I did. It does a great job keeping in the smells and I can just wash it when I wash the diapers.

If a diaper is especially nasty, I will take it to the bathroom and dunk it in the toilet. However, breast milk poo is water soluble and washes off easily in the washer, so this step isn't really necessary. When Kate starts eating solids, we will probably install a diaper sprayer to the back of the toilet. Other than that I just put the wet diapers in the pail and keep them in there till laundry day. What I like about the Flip system is that you don't have to use a new cover every time. If the diaper is just wet, I usually just have to use a new insert.

Once its time to wash (about every 3 days) I just dump the entire liner full of diapers into the washer (making sure to separate inserts from covers) and rinse on cold and wash on hot. I dry the covers in the laundry room and I dry most inserts in the sun outside. I haven't had any problems with stains or smells or anything.


                         


Overall, I really like using cloth. I think they work great, feel better on Kate's skin, and, most importantly, will save us lots of money over the next few years. Do I really love washing them? No. Does the pail smell when the lid is open? Yes. Like death. But I have learned to hold my breath and work really fast. Poo is poo. On a cloth or disposable. And as a mom, its just part of everyday life.