Thursday, October 7, 2010

Cloth Diapering a newborn

I have been thinking a lot over the last few weeks about how to cloth diaper a newborn. I really didn't start cloth diapers with Ethan until he was about 8 lbs, which was about one month old (he was a slow gainer even though he ate all the time plus I was supplementing with formula!). However, I would like to cloth diaper from the start. I am also planning a large family so I think that the cost of building up a newborn stash would be worth it. Anymore, I hate the thought of spending just one more penny for a sposie even if it's for when we travel.

I have a few prefolds and covers, but I don't have enough to diaper a newborn. Also with my experience with using prefolds I never could use the cover more than once because it always had poo on it. Sorry, I'm not the wipe off and re-use kind of girl ;-) Husband is not too trilled with prefolds and covers, but I think it's the most economical way to cloth diaper a newborn. I also think it helps keep their new bottoms rash free.

So who has cloth diapered a new born? Should I go with more prefolds and covers to finish out my stash? What brand of prefolds and covers do you like?
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13 comments:

Christa @ Little Us said...

I've never cloth diapered a newborn but I would imagine prefolds and covers WOULD be the best way to go! As far as covers go I've used bummis and LOVE them! I've also used covers from and Etsy store {ReThink Crafts} and I really liked hers as well! I would just request laundry tabs! Also the rumparooz lil joeys are too cute to pass up!

Dee said...

I agree! I think prefolds would be best. I have never done a newborn either. I did use Bambino Mio a few times and they worked well when Isabella was a newborn. She was a SLOW gainer and is only 17 pounds at 1 year old.

Unknown said...

Tate was 8lbs (well, 7lbs 15oz) at birth. I *think* I started when he was about 2 weeks. Did you use a snappi or pins with your prefolds? I'm not a fan of the snappi, so I used pins. It really helped contain things better. I liked the Imse Vimse soft covers and Mother-Ease Rikki Wrap because the velcro didn't rub on Tate's belly like Bummis.
A lot of people like Thirsties covers. I like the two-size system over one-size and I'm anxious to see how a duo diaper works. I'm also excited to try the AppleCheeks envelopes. To save money, I am using them with prefolds versus buying the bamboo inserts. I will definitly keep you posted since you are a few months behind me! :o)

Jill said...

We are an almost exclusive prefold/cover family. But for my daughter's first few weeks we used mostly fitteds. I didn't like having to wash the cover after nearly every diaper change with prefolds so we used fitteds til the poo situation settled down. Green Mountain has a sale on their newborn fitteds right now for just $3.95 each, yes, that's a lot more than a prefold but it will save in that you won't need as many covers. Another great newborn fitted is little lions but they are a bit more expensive.

Heather said...

I started when my daughter was 1 month old (around 9 lb). I used prefolds and Thirsties covers (xs at that time). I never had a problem with them, but found I did need to have more covers in rotation. At the time, I was washing every day and had 4 covers. This time around, I'll be washing every other day and have 6 covers in rotation. I hope that's enough!

ljhunt said...

I dont know what they were called way back when, but disposables, gave my newborn 27 years ago, bad bad rash, I cried, it was so bad, I put a cloth diaper on him, and the next day, it was gone! I used them for about 6 weeks, and tried disposables again, and it was fine. I would definately use them, any would be better than sposies, is that what you called them? :)

Chari said...

Thank you for all the suggestions so far!

Sarah J.- I did use a snappi most the time it was easier for me than the pins.

Jill- The prefolds I have are from Green Mountain! Ok, I had to check them out and now I'm tempted to make my prefolds into fitteds! They do look like that fit better plus would contain those newborn blow outs better. Ok, I may be working on this soon and I'll share my results with everyone.

Keep the suggestions coming! Esp for covers. I forgot to mention I had bought some cheapy prowrap covers with Ethan and they were awful! They are thick, don't velcro well and left red marks all over his waist and legs :-(

B.A. Hunter said...

I plan to cloth diaper right from the start next time around. WE had nothing but leaks with our newborn diapers last time. I have quite a few prefolds and covers that will fit a newborn, but I also plan to invest in some of the one size Kawaii Baby Pure and Natural diapers. They are $5 each and get real tiny. :-)

Jill said...

there was a mclinky on this with about a dozen people's answers. not sure if it's just not working for me if it's a total bust. http://dirtydiaperlaundry.com/cloth-diaper-carnival-vii-newborn-cloth-diapering/

we started at 3 weeks and used prefolds at first. worked well. I would use more fitteds another time. mine poos on every cover, too. I suggest just allowing for more covers and washing them quick in the sink and tossing them over the shower bar to dry. They dry quickly!

vwlilybug said...

As a friend has done this not me we started at 8 months. I now wish we had started earlier. She says the thirsties are the best for a nb she uses snappies. She does love the monkey doodles pockets the fit is great and so easy in the middle of the night, they have disc, them but maybe you can find some used off spots or diaperswappers.

Katie S said...

I haven't cloth diapered a newborn, but I read just yesterday on a blog about a mom's experience cloth diapering a newborn, and so far she says the best fit is the bumGenius AIO (It comes in Extra-Small_ the Extra-Small is only $12.95, which I think is reasonable if you consider that the covers can run almost this much sometimes and if you're using a new cover every time anyway, then you might as well spend that much on these and make it easy on yourself and use an AIO!

Alesha @ Full Time Mama said...

My new baby will be 4wks old tomorrow. He's our first to cloth diaper but we started cloth as soon as he was done with the meconium poo diapers. I got a mixture of prefolds/covers and NB diapers to try, since I wasn't sure what I'd like best. I've found I hate the prefolds and prefer the NB sized diapers best. Love the Bitty Bums from Nifty Nappy and the xs BG diaper.
I've got tons more I could share but dont want to take up too much space. =)
Good luck!

vwlilybug said...

If your going to make your own covers and fitteds, the best pattern I've used is the fattycakes you can get it off etsy the only thing is even the nb size is kinda bif for little ones but I'm betting you could scan it in and reduce it a bit, the nb is 8-15lbs. I've tried about 6 patterns and this was the best by far.

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