Cloth Diaper Extras

So you have your diapers and you might be thinking, what else do I need to make cloth diapering work for me.  I learned some things the hard way, so let me give you some ideas that actually work.  Do not put your cloth diapers in a plastic pail.  I used an old Diaper Genie because I did not have the money to buy a wet bag right away.  This makes your pail and cloth diapers seriously smelly!  Instead, try to buy one wet bag.  If this won't work I have read that one can turn and old wool sweater into a wet bag.  Things like old fleece blankets will also work.  The best thing to do if money is not a problem is the buy two large wet bags and one small one for the diaper bag.  I love hanging diaper pails, so I am working on my own design to start selling these.  For the diaper bag a drawstring or zipper work well. 

Cloth wipes seem crazy at first.  For one thing, the price for about ten wipes was close to fifteen dollars and I could not imagine only needing ten in one day.  I wanted something like forty around.  Maybe twenty five would do.  I found and old flannel sheet and cut it up using an actual Pampers wipe for the sizing.  I used a zigzag cut so I would not have to sew them all.  Then I looked up wipe solutions ideas on the internet and found one can add a drop of baby soap to water and put wipes in a box of some kind to use and then wash with the diapers on laundry day.  I kept up with this for a few weeks, but then I got sick of it and bought wipes.  It would be easier to have wet wipes around for car trips and much more.  Then I learned about having some kind of wipe solution in a spray bottle.  One can travel with dry wipes and have nice smelling water around to use during diaper changes.  Everything can go in the wash this time.  I admit, I still like having just wet wipes in my diaper bag, but this system does work well.  Plus, cloth wipes are stronger than wet wipes.  Also, the wipes one buys are often two sided and one only need one to two wipes for a messy diaper.

Boosters, diaper liners, and all that stuff can make very little sense to a new cloth diaper person.  I had a friend who showed me a pocket diaper.  She stuffed it with two inserts, then placed a liner one could flush down the toilet on top.  It sounds simple, but I remember thinking, this is so much work for each diaper change.  I had two kids in diapers at the time.  All these extra work for different needs, but on does not need them at first.  Start simple and if you notice, my baby is soaked, consider a hemp booster.  When baby starts eating solid food, maybe having a liner to flush down the toilet will be less stressful than trying to get solid waste off the diaper. 

Cloth diapering can be just as easy as regular diapering.  Yes, one needs to add in some more laundry.  Poop does not just disappear.  However, if one makes a cloth diaper washing schedule, there are always diapers around.  Husbands will not find themselves driving to the store at 10 PM because all the diapers are gone.  I have enjoyed picking out my diapers and learning to make my own.  Let's face it, diaper changes a never super fun, but they aren't that difficult either.