Poop Post, Part Deux

I wanted to do an update to my last post about cloth diapering. In that post I stated that we were using- at one point- four different cloth diapers: Baby City, ProRaps, Fuzzibunz, and KaWaii. Mila-bird grew out of ProRaps within 3 weeks as the size that I had was for newborns only. That left Baby City, Fuzzibunz and KaWaii.

Since my last post the Baby City diapers (pictured above) gave out on me. While doing a wash I noticed that the inside of the diaper was de-laminating. I tried a higher tumble dry but had no luck. De-lam can happen in two ways: the diaper was not being dried at the proper temperature or there was a manufacturing issue. I KNOW that the first option was not the problem as I line dried these. The second option is the issue since these diapers are not a name brand, came straight from the manufacturer in China and cost me about $12 for 9 of them. I knew this prior to purchasing them but some people had good, long-lasting results so I figured I'd give them a whirl. I will miss the fun colors, stretchy close tabs and how fast they line dry. I will not miss the leaks, cheap material, lack of inserts (didn't come with any) and the bulkiness of the diaper.

Bottom line: I wouldn't purchase these again and would not recommend them for someone who is new to cloth diapering.

This also means that I'm officially done using my prefolds. (Pictured below) I was using these as inserts for the Baby City diapers. Sure, I can still use them as inserts as needed but, for now, they will remain packed away for the next baby to use.

So, it was now back to deciding which diaper to invest in. In the end I went with buying 12 more KaWaii Heavy Duty One Size diapers. (A $72 purchase) That brings my total diaper stash to 18 KaWaii diapers and 6 Fuzzibunz One Size Elite.

Ultimately I decided to go with this brand for the price per diaper, ease of use, washing instructions, and overall performance on Birdie. Each diaper came with 2 micofiber inserts. I still like my Fuzzibunz diapers but I'm starting to question if they'll fit Birdie's booty until she's about 2 years old... they look really tiny compared to KaWaii.

Here's a few extra thoughts that have popped into my head:

- It's important to wash according the the manufacturer's instructions but you can still vary how you wash within that. How one mama washes her baby's diapers may not work for you. Mila-bird is a heavy wetter so I do more soaks, extra rinses, and sun bleach to keep the ammonia smell/ build up in check.

- Cloth diapers RARELY produce a diaper rash. If there's a diaper rash situation one might want to look into what you're eating (if breastfeeding) or how good of a wash your diapers are getting. Usually one needs to strip the diapers completely as something is building up on them. The only rash Birdie has had was from when I was downing fruit Odwalla drinks everyday. Once I stopped her rash disappeared.

- Cloth diapered babies need to be changed more frequently than disposable. Disposables are designed to wick moisture away from the baby as they're in the diaper, making it last longer. Cloth diapers are not made to do that- babies feel what they're sitting in. I change Birdie's diaper every 2-3 hours no matter what as it's usually pretty done by then. Some families need to change every hour, hence the need for so many cloth diapers. (Minimum of 24 is recommended in a stash) With my new KaWaii purchase I've pushed my washing from every other day to every two days.

- Cloth diapers are much bulkier than disposable, especially when you add in extra inserts. For Birdie, I've added two inserts to her Fuzzibunz for better performance... but it doesn't mean it's lasts longer. I stick to one insert for her KaWaii diapers. Because they're bulkier you might have to go up a size in clothing, particularly outfits with little pants like this:

This Carter's outfit is a 6 month size. The onesie will last her awhile as there's still length left to growing into. The pants may not last as long depending on how she grows. We'll have to see. She still fits into some 3 month onesies but in little pants I have to buy a 6 month size to allot extra bulk from her diaper. (And maybe it's just me but I've noticed that Carter's clothes run a little big.)

Cloth diapering isn't for everyone. It can seem very overwhelming, a little odd and even gross to some. My posts on this topic are merely for those who have inquired about how it works. Bottom line- we love how well it works for our family.