Cloth Diapering

So mom and I had planned to make our diapers, but due to sickness and everything else going on, we kept having to reschedule...and then baby arrived.  Now because we were behind, mom ordered some great diaper covers (before arrival) and combined with some prefolds I got from the shower, family, and ordered we had enough for diapering.  Even the wet bags were ordered.  I also knew we would use disposables in the hospital- especially with the first few bowel movements, but we thought soon after we could go to cloth since we were all set up.

What I wasn't prepared for was my diaper covers were too big!  So I ordered some new newborn covers, see picture below.  Got a great deal too, as they were seconds, and I knew she probably wouldn't be in them too long.  We were waiting for the covers to arrive, but she started to get a diaper rash, and I wondered if cloth would help it.  So we got out the prefolds, the snappi, and a waterproof pad to sit her on.

Our diaper cover.

Then the fun really began!  Two college educated people sat huddle around a iphone trying to figure out how to hook that snappi onto the baby.  Thirty minutes later and multiple youtube views our baby was finally diapered.  It actually has worked great since then, and I'm happy to say we have mastered the snappi.  Watch out rubber bands, that means I have your number too! ;)

Eventually our diaper and snappi looked like this...but it took awhile.

But thankfully the covers have arrived and we've been using them.  They do not require the snappi, instead we just lay them folded in the cover and use like a regular diaper.  Now the prefolds are a little bulky on my little baby, but we're going to be making a few this thursday that are a little less bulky to see if it works better.  No rescheduling either...that sewing machine and serger are coming out! :) But even with some bulk, the diaper contains great and her diaper rash has gotten loads better.  Yay!

All in all, I'm super happy with cloth diapering.  I didn't get to try it with Elizabeth as her daycare wouldn't allow it and by the time we moved she was potty training...but I'm glad I get to now.  It is a little extra work, but I wouldn't trade the health and cost saving benefits at all. :)

Oh and speaking of cost saving benefits, since we've been cloth diapering I've noticed on a lot of cloth diapering blogs that they do not use regular detergent as it leave residue etc. in the clothes causing odor problems etc.  So instead of buying the cloth diapering detergent, we have been making our own.  I have to say I really recommend it.  We make one kind for the diapers and another for the rest of our clothes.  It's super simple to make out of items you can find at the grocery store and it is WAY CHEAPER.  I love it and again wouldn't trade the benefits for anything.  If anyone is interested let me know, and I'll send you an email with the details.  I love finding items like this (I was the same way with making my own baby food) and then sharing them.  :)