Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert

by Erin Odom

Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert Table of Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part 1: 10 Cloth Diaper Confessions
Confession #1: There are Many Reasons to Use Cloth Diapers
Confession #2: There is a Cloth Diaper Type for Everyone
Confession #3: Anyone Can Use Cloth Diapers
Section 1: Convincing Daddies
Section 2: Convincing Other Caregivers
Confession #4: Building a Cloth Diaper Stash is Easier Than You Think
Section 1: Building a Cloth Diaper Stash Before Baby is Born
Section 2: Building a Cloth Diaper Stash After Baby is Born
Section 3: Building a Cloth Diaper Stash on a Budget
Section 4: Using a Diaper Service
Confession #5: Establishing a Cloth Diaper Routine Can Make or Break Your Experience: How to Prep, Gather Your Accessories, Wash, Strip and Get Over the Poop
Confession #6: You Can Successfully Cloth Diaper from Newborn to Potty Training
Section 1: Cloth Diapering a Newborn
Section 2: Cloth Diapering a Toddler
Section 3: Cloth Diapering an Older Child
Section 4: Potty Training
Section 5: Cloth Diapering Two or More Children at the Same Time
Confession #7: You Can Cloth Diaper at Night
Confession #8: You Can Overcome Any Cloth Diapering Challenge 7 Erin Odom © 2013 | All rights reserved.

Challenge #1: Fit
Challenge #2: Stink
Challenge #3: Leaks
Challenge #4: Rashes
Challenge #5: Stains
Challenge #6: Naked Toddlers
Challenge #7: Nighttime Diapering
Challenge #8: Yeast
Challenge #9: Diaper Cream
Cloth Diapering No-Nos
Confession #9: You CAN Travel with Cloth Diapers–But You May Not Always Want To
Section 1: Daytime Trips
Section 2: Weekend Trips
Section 3: Extended Vacations
Section 4: Special Circumstances
Section 5: Swim Diapers
Confession #10: Cloth Diapering Can Be Addicting
Section 1: The Cloth Diaper Addiction
Section 2: When the Cloth Diapering Honeymoon Ends: Taking a Break–or Calling it Quits
Part 2: The Heart and History Behind the Diapers
Section 1: Using Your Cloth Diapers to Bless Others
Section 2: Cloth Diaper Advocacy
Section 3: History of Diapers
Section 4: Diapering Around the World
Section 5: Closing Remarks
Resources
Cloth Diaper Abbreviations
Glossary
Recommended Resources
Chapter Index 8 Erin Odom © 2013 | All rights reserved.

Sources
Acknowledgements
Disclaimer & Disclosure
- See more at: http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/confes...

http://www.clothdiaperconvert.com/?ap...

Genres: Parenting

200 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Erin Odom is the author of More Than Just Making It and You Can Stay Home With Your Kids and is the founder of The Humbled Homemaker, a blog dedicated to grace-filled living designed to equip and encourage mothers in the trenches. She is passionate about Jesus, motherhood, crunchy living, and seeing women use their God-given gifts and passions to overcome life's challenges. Her Southern charm and wealth of inspirational, practical content has drawn an audience of millions over the years. Erin and her husband, Will, live in North Carolina, where they raise their three spirited redheaded girls and sweet and spoiled redheaded boy. Follow Erin at thehumbledhomemaker.com.

Reviews

[Ashton D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Does what it says. A guide to cloth diapering that will save you a ton of time. Gets a bit repetitive at times.

Confession 1:

This goes over why to use cloth diapers. Reason 1, they can save you money. The average cost of disposable diapers for two years is over 1,400; for cloth ones, it can cost as little as 300. This can be cut in half or thirds if you use the same ones on a 2nd or 3rd child. This doesn't account for gas to get to the store, shipping, wipes, detergent, energy cost per load, or water cost per load. Furthermore, nighttime diapers are not counted in the total cost of diapering in the chart, and the cost does not consider using more traditional cheap cloth diapers such as flats or prefolds, and is based on modern cloth diapers (15$ per diaper). 15% of 5-year-olds are not night trained and some still wet the bed at age 6 or beyond, so nighttime diapering will be much higher as well.

You'll have to estimate if cloth diapers will still save you money with an increased water and energy bill. Don't forget to use a cloth diaper-safe detergent.

Reason 2, cloth diapers are better for the environment. It can take disposable diapers up to 500 years to dispose of themselves in a landfill, and even with compostable ones, they're still being put in an airless landfill where they'll anaerobically decompose and add to the production of methane and leeching of harmful juices. The feces in the diapers can contain pathogens and make their way back into the environment. Reason 3, cloth diapers can be better for your baby's health. People aren't sure about the long-term consequences of prolonged exposure to the chemicals in disposable diapers(Dioxin, VOC, TBT, SAP) and and some studies have found negative correlations with long-term use. Chemicals like dyes and fragrances can irritate a baby's skin.

Reason 4, cloth diapering can potentially lead to earlier potty training because some of them aren't stay-dry and babies don't like the wet feeling they produce. Reason 5, they work better. Not all are high-quality, but if you get one from a tried and true brand, you'll most likely find they work just as well if not better than disposable diapers. Reason 6, they are gentler on the baby's skin: read reason 3. 7, cloth diapers are cute.

To summarize, saves money, good for environment, gentler on baby, may foster earlier potty training, creates less mess (cloth works better), and cute.

Confession 2:

This goes over the types of fabrics, closures, cons, and pros regarding cloth diapers. There is a diaper for everyone. There's 9 types, but first let's go over the fibers. Cloth fibers can be natural or synthetic. The two have to be prepped differently and while natural is more absorbent and easier to clean, synthetic is more caregiver-friendly.

Cotton, bamboo, and hemp are the popular natural fibers used for diapers. Microfiber, microfleece, suede cloth, PUL, TPU, minky, and velour (can be natural or synthetic) are popular synthetic fibers. Microfiber is not used directly against the baby's skin since it can cause agitation and is instead used as an insert for pocket diapers. Microfleece, velour, and suede cloth aren't very absorbent, so they're typically used as the inner lining of a diaper. Both natural and synthetic diapers are usually a combination of several fabric types. Furthermore, some diapers are stay-dry, which means they allow the child to feel dry. These diapers are made with synthetic fibers like fleece or suede cloth. Urine flows through them and absorbs into an insert underneath. For natural fabrics, this can be achieved through using a stay-dry liner; the most economical are strips of fleece.

Disposable diapers are sized according to the baby's weight, but many cloth diapers brands grow with the baby. These are called one-size diapers, but they don't usually fit a baby under 8 pounds, so some parents use disposable or the most affordable prefold or flat diapers until the newborn can fit in one.

Covers are made from PUL/TPU, fleece, or wool; wool is the only natural one. PUL and TPU are waterproof materials typically used in the outer shells of all-in-one and all-in-two pocket diapers; some babies might be sensitive to them since they aren't as breathable as natural fabrics, like wool. Minky is often used as the outside fabric of a cloth diapers, put over the PUL or TPU shell, as more of a decoration than anything else. Fleece is often very affordable and especially if you make your own or buy upcycled fleece; you can find upcycled fleece from old fleece jackets, pants, shirts, etc, and from Etsy. Some people find they don't work well for long periods, like overnight. Wool is highly absorbent and very breathable; the lanolin used to enhance wool's water resistance makes it both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. It's self-cleaning, so you can use the covers several times without washing them. It has to be cared for differently than other covers. Fleece and wool covers tend to be pull on and don't come with a closure, so most are sized. However, 31 Rubies makes a one-size wool cover with a hook and loop closure. Covers can be reused a few times by airing them out between changes unless there's poop on them. You will need one cover for about every 4-6 diapers you have.

Closures are either snappis, diaper pins, hook and loop, or snaps. Snappis are T-shaped plastic fasteners that most cloth diapering parents prefer today because they are easy and don't risk the baby getting stuck. Diaper pins are the original fasteners. Hook and loop are like velcro and fasten the same was as a disposable diaper. Snaps are more durable than a hook and loop and are harder to get off.

Now to the diaper types. There are flats, prefolds, contours, fitteds, hybrids, pockets, sleeves, all-in-twos (AI2s), and All-in-Ones (AIOs).

Flats: (1) Thin when unfolded, so dries faster than the rest. (2) Doesn't need to be prepped. (3) Cheap even for the lowest-income of people. (4) Requires a cover. (5) Requires an external fastener. (6) Isn't stay-dry. Can be accomplished with a stay-dry liner. (6) Can be found at stores like Walmart and Target, as well as online diaper cloth stores. (7) Isn't caregiver-friendly. It needs to be folded and requires an external fastener and cover. (8) Can be reused as a cloth rag.

Prefolds: (1) Bleached prefold diapers are white because the bleaching process strips them of the natural cotton oils and fibers, so they are less durable and may release pollutants into the environment. (2) There's Indian or Chinese prefolds; Chinese prefolds are rougher, but wear slower than Indian ones. (3) Cheap even for the lowest-income of people. (4) Requires a cover. (5) Requires an external fastener. (6) Isn't stay-dry. Can be accomplished with a stay-dry liner. (7) Can be found at stores like Walmart and Target, as well as online diaper cloth stores. (6) Isn't caregiver-friendly. It needs to be folded and requires an external fastener and cover. (8) Can be reused as a cloth rag.

For flats and prefolds, you can use upcycled cotton material or even flour sack towels for the diaper. Some are made from bamboo or hemp.

Contours: (1) Contours can easily be converted into fitteds (adding a hook and loop closure) with some sewing skills. (2) Not super cheap, but not expensive. (3) Requires an external fastener. (4) Isn't stay-dry. Can be accomplished with a stay-dry liner. (5) Can be found on online diaper cloth stores. (6) Isn't caregiver-friendly, but more caregiver-friendly than flats and prefolds. It requires an external fastener and cover.

Fitteds: (1) Not super cheap, but not expensive. (2) Requires a cover. (3) Doesn't require an external fastener. Uses hook and loop closure. (3) Isn't stay-dry. Can be accomplished with a stay-dry liner. (4) Can be found on online diaper cloth stores. (5) Isn't caregiver-friendly, but more caregiver-friendly than flats, prefolds, and contours. It requires a cover.

Hybrids: (1) Can easily get expensive. (2) Doesn't require a cover. Comes with a washable outer cover/shell you can then put disposable or cloth diapers inside. (3) Doesn't require an external fastener. Comes equipped with one. (3) Can be stay-dry depending on if you use disposable diapers or cloth diapers. A stay-dry liner can be used for a non-stay-dry cloth diaper. (4) Can be found on online diaper cloth stores. (5) Is caregiver-friendly. Comes with a cover and fastener. Similar to disposable diapers.

Pockets: These are the modern cloth diapers. (1) Expensive. (2) Doesn't require a cover. (3) Doesn't require an external fastener. (4) Is stay-dry. Inserts go in and urine passes through to get absorbed by them. (5) Can be found at stores like Walmart and Target, as well as online diaper cloth stores. (6) Is caregiver-friendly. Comes with a cover and fastener.

Sleeves: Like pockets, but have two openings, so it doesn't have to be unstuffed before going into the washing machine where the machine will then agitate it out.

AI2s: Like pockets, but the insert is snapped or placed instead of stuffed inside. Some work the same hybrids can the outer-shell can be reused with a different insert.

AI1s: Like pockets, but you don't insert anything. It all comes as one. (1) They're the most expensive. (2) Take to dry. (3) Are the most caregiver-friendly. They're exactly like normal diapers.

Confession 3:

Anyone can use them. See 4. There's many types of fabrics, fasteners, and diapers now for cloth diapers. Not just flats with diaper pins.

Confession 4:

This goes over building a stash.

Section 1, before the baby is born:

If you know you want to do cloth, you can request them at baby showers or register for them on an online cloth diapering store. One type or brand of diaper may work well for your friend's baby and not yours, so if you're worried about the gifts going to waste, request gift cards/store credit instead of the diaper itself. You can return the ones you didn't use and use store credit to purchase more of the ones you like. As for registries, register for a variety of diaper types and only prep and use the diapers one at a time. If you do use all the diapers and find some don't work, some stores buy back used diapers and resell them or you can resell them at websites like diaperswrappers.com and re-diaper.com. Disposable diapers don't have a resell value; cloth diapers do. Keep in mind, many cloth diaper stores offer a trial package option. The store will send you a variety of diapers to try for a small fee. You only pay for the diapers you end up keeping.

Section 2, after the baby is born:

Don't go and buy an entire stash at once. Try several different kinds until you've found the ones you like. Sell the ones you don't like and complete your stash.

Section 3, building a cloth diaper stash on a budget:

(1) If you are low income, you can apply for a cloth diaper loan through Giving Diapers, Giving Hope. There's also smaller programs that lend to local families, such as Sweet Cheeks Diaper Kits in NC. The first is available to anyone in the US and you have to meet certain income requirements and pay for the shipping of the diapers. Recipients must return their diapers at the end of their loans. (2) You can buy gently-used (sometimes new) cloth diapers. Craiglist, DiaperSwappers.com, Re-Diaper.com, your local Mommies Network, and even Facebook buy/sell/trade groups are great places to purchase cloth diapers on the cheap. Make sure the person has good references and if meeting them in person, meet them in a public place. Check consignment stores and sales as well. If you have any sewing skills, you can repair damaged diapers, and if you can't do it, there are online services that offer cloth diaper repairs. Such one is Convert My Diapers on Diaperswappers.com. (3) Enter cloth diaper giveaways. (4) Volunteer to be a "tester" for new diaper brands, styles, etc for cloth diaper stores and companies. (5) Sign up for cloth diaper company seconds list. The second-quality ones can often be bought at half the price with nothing wrong with them. Cotton Babies is one that offers this. (6) Ask if you can work for diapers at cloth diaper stores for diapers. (7) Purchase off brand. (8) Watch for sales. (9) Share diapers with friends if you know any that have cloth diapers. (10) Make your own. (11) Participate in a local diaper lending program. See 1.

Using a diaper service, section 4:

A diaper service maintains ownership of the diapers and rents them out to families. A bonus is they launder the diapers for you, but they can get expensive.

Confession 5:

This goes over how to establish a routine, prep, gather your accessories, and wash.

Step 1, prepping:

Prepping means to wash your cloth diapers before using it to make sure it's clean. You can prep both types of diapers with regular laundry as long as you use a cloth-safe detergent. With synthetic-fibered diapers, all you do is wash them once. With natural-fibered diapers, wash them separately from your other diapers 2-3 times; the difference is natural fibers have oils that have to be washed away to reach absorbency. Don't wash natural-fibered diapers with synthetic ones because the oils can rub off on them and make them lose absorbency. You can use your natural-fibered diapers after you prep them, but they don't reach full absorbency until about 10 washes, so you may need to change more frequently for awhile to avoid leaks.

Step 2, gather your accessories:

You're going to need wipes, inserts if diaper calls for it, wetbag(s), detergent, cloth-safe creams, snappis/pins if diaper calls for it, and covers if diaper calls for it. Wipes solution, liners, inserts, doublers, diaper pails, stain fighters, dryer balls, diaper sprayers, and special diaper bags are all optional.

Cloth Wipes: Some parents use disposable wipes, but it saves money and helps reduce waste to use cloth wipes. They come in many fabrics. Baby washcloths are even cheaper than cloth wipes and work just as well.

Wipes Solution: A wipes solution is used to wet your cloth to better clean the baby. The ones on the market are nice-smelling, but expensive, and it's cheaper to make your own. Fill a container with warm water and put some baby wash in, shake, add your wipes, ring them out, and then put them in a small wet bag or plastic baby wipes container for us at the diaper changing station. If you don't have time to make a whole batch of pre-moistened wipes, you can keep a squirt bottle with water and squirt the clothes as you use them.

Continuing here due to length restrictions:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1X...

[Juliana Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what it says - tells you about the types of cloth diapers and recommends what to do with them. A great starting point for anyone considering cloth diapering, and way more organized than the social groups and websites, which are chock full of acronyms.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a huge help when I started cloth diapering my babies. I would recommend it to anyone looking for the ins and outs of cloth diapering. This will save you tons of time on researching.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been cloth diapering for a little over a year. We opted for simple and cheap prefolds and covers, because I was overwhelmed with all the options. Oh how I wish I'd had this book before my son was born! It's a super easy read, and even at 205 pages, I finished it in 3 very interrupted afternoons.

I also learned that I needed to strip my diapers - something I had never done with them! My wash routine has also adjusted for the better. There was so much I didn't know! I highly recommend this book. Learn how to care for the diapers from the get-go.

P.S. I did receive this book for free via a giveaway.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so helpful. When previously trying to understand cloth diapering, I felt so overwhelmed and confused. I felt like she took all/any questions I had and answered them. This is such a helpful resource :)

[Stephani Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely super helpful! I read this when I was pregnant with my son and the descriptions and pictures were super helpful. I've used it as a reference many times since then about how to care for my cloth diapers.

[Whitney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best resource for cloth diapering ever! Everything you need to know as a newbie in one book, with tons of photos and links to other resources. I'm so glad I got this book!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

sad conclusion: cannot really stock up before babby is born because who knows what will work on babby

[Malia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super helpful for learning how to cloth diaper. It has a glossary of terms and is laid out in a way that you can use it as a reference book to troubleshoot common problems.

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

38/60 for Mama in 2020