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FAQ`s
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Q: Just how many diapers do I need to cloth diaper my baby?
The answer really depends on you. I know I know, that doesn`t help does it? Well, you really first need to decide how many days you want to go in between washings. I wash every other day and it works great for me, others wash everyday, some every 3 days. So you will at least need enough diapers to get you through for that many days. Say you change 8 times a day, you wash every other day, you need at least 16 diapers.
This also depends on how old your baby is, newborns will need to be changed more than older babies do. A typical breast fed baby will poo everytime they eat, so they will probably need to be changed about every 2-3 hours during the day or everytime they poo. Older babies that have a more `regular` cycle might only need to be changed 6 times a day. It really just depends on your baby, and your prefrences, but about 18 diapers should do just fine to start.
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Q: HELP! I am so confused, there are so many types of diapers out there!
Yes, it can be very intimidating to begin your cloth diaper adventure, but after a little bit of studying you will be a pro in no time!
Prefolds~These are the 'old school' diapers we all think of. A flat diaper that needs to be folded secured with a pin (or better yet a Snappi, which is just a little fastener that makes it so much easier!) and has to be covered with something waterproof. There are a few different ways to fold these, so I'll get into that more later. Prefolds are also the cheapest way to cloth diaper.
Pockets~Pocket diapers have a waterproof PUL outer layer that keeps in wetness, and normally a micro fleece inner to keep your baby dry. There is an opening, normally in the back of the diaper where you stuff the diaper with an insert or some times even a prefold diaper. The great thing about pocket diapers is that you can stuff them with as much or as little absorbant material as you need. For night time, I stuff mine with a microfiber insert and 2 hemp inserts, for daytime I just use the microfiber insert. It just depends on your baby. They secure with snaps and/or Aplix, a very sturdy velcro and need no cover.
All In Ones~These are the closest thing to a disposable diaper there is. There is no stuffing involved with most, unless you need that added bost, it is just as it sounds, an all in one diaper. They are great because you do not have to worry about the stuffing, but they do take longer than other diapers to dry.
Fitteds~Fitted diapers are made of all kinds of different materials, terry, sherpa, hemp etc. and they are made of just cloth and somtimes a fleece lining to keep baby feeling dry. These are the most recommended diaper for newborns as they hold in that wonderul runny newborn poo. They secure with either snaps or Aplix and also require a cover.
Liners~Liners are used for a few different reasons, too keep baby feeling dry, to keep diaper cream from staining your diapers or to make poopy changes easier. You simply lay the liner on top of the diaper between the diaper and your baby.
Doublers~Just as they state, these are used when you need that double absorbancy, overnight, outings or for a heavy wetter.
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Q: What other accessories do I need?
Other things that you will need to begin cloth diapering are...
Somewhere to put the dirty diapers... a wet bag, a dry pail, your system is whatever you want.
~Some people use a wet pail, where they have a pail (garbage can, bucket etc.) that they fill with water and/or some essential oils and baking soda to keep it smelling good, and when they get dirty diapers they put them in the pail. I've never used this system myself, but I've heard that this is the best way to ward off stains, but that it is kind of a pain to deal with a bucket of water and pouring it out, plus the extra drowning hazard having a bucket of water laying out.
~Others use a dry method, you can use a wet bag (which isn't actually wet) inside of a pail, or just a pail by itself. The bag normally has an elastic opening which grips your pail and holds it in place, and sometimes even has a fabric swatch inside to place your favorite essential oil on to keep it smelling extra good.
Laundry Detergent
You will need to get a laundry detergent that you can use on all of your cloth diapers. The typical laundry detergent that we use has fragrance and chemicals that will harm or even destroy your cloth diapers. You need to use a detergent that is additive and fragrance free, with no chorine bleach, fabric softeners or pure soaps as these can all mess up the diapers. There are many many great detergents out there to use, Allen's Naturally is a good one, so is Bi-O-Kleen, All Free and Clear and Charlies Soap. Do not use any type of baby laundry detergent as these are also bad for your diapers.
Wool Care Products
Wool Wash~Wool requires special attention to be cleaned, you will need a wool wash or you can use Euclan No Rinse Fabric Wash on your wool. Wool also does not need to be washed as regularly as your other diapers do, I use a general rule of twice a month or once it gets soiled or dirty. Wool also needs to be hand washed in your sink or a bucket, it can be washed in a washing machine, but special attention needs to be paid to make sure that you do it the proper way. You also cannot dry your wool in the dryer, you simply line dry it or lay it out on a towel to air dry. I know it sounds confusing, but taking care of wool is really not that bad, once you get your system down it is no problem at all.
Lanolin~Wool needs to be lanolized in order for it to continue to repel moisture well. An innitial lanolizing needs to be done when you purchase new wool, and then a re-lanolizing needs to be done once you notice that your wool is becoming damp or leaking.
For more on wool care, please see my articles on washing.
Fasteners
If you use prefold diapers you will need something to keep the diapers on your baby. The two main closure's are pins (yes some of us still use pins) or a Snappi. I started using pins with my prefolds about 2 months ago and it is really not so bad, so I reccomend trying it, why not step into the old days for a minute? Ha! I keep my pins in a bar of soap and that makes them go into the diaper very easily. A Snappi is a fastener made specifically to hold a diaper together, it grips the diaper on each side and in the middle and holds it all together and works great!
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| Have another question for me? Just ask! I would be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have. I am always here to help!
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