Cloth diaper update
All I can say is, "Wow!"
But you probably want to hear more than that, don't you?
Thanks to a very kind reader, I was able to buy a huge box of various cloth diapering sundries for an extremely reasonable price. This allowed me to try out several alternatives for far less than I would have paid otherwise, and was also a blessing to my sister and my sister-in-law who were curious about alternatives.
From the choices presented, I'm very satisfied with Pro-Raps over diaper service quality (dsq) prefolds. They are reasonably priced, durable, simple and effective. These will likely be our everyday diapers. The Proraps keep a diaper firmly in place with no need for pins, and they have an extra fold on the legs to help prevent leaking. The dsq's dry quickly enough to satisfy our needs, while keeping things simpler than flats. I also have some inexpensive prefolds and there really is a difference in absorbency.
For special occasions and for going out, we have a set of Coolababy all-in-ones, recommended by another reader. Love, love, love them! These weren't cheap, but they did cost far less than comparable diapers like Fuzzi Bunz. Cute, fun and easy, and they get the job done. What more could I ask? They have removable inserts, so they dry quickly on the line. They are truly one-size-fits-all, easily fitting Bethany on one of the mid-settings, and The Boy on a larger setting. He can use them for nighttime or after an accident when we're out, so we'll just need to pack diapers of one size. It looks like they would adjust down enough to suit an average sized newborn. In spite of the versatility, they are not terribly bulky.
Finally, Kaitlyn whipped up a Rita's Rump Pocket from the free online pattern. It was very simple, and absolutely adorable. The elastic around the legs made it very practical and the pocket lets us add as much or as little extra padding as want to get the right absorbency. We didn't add any velcro or snaps since we'll use it in a waterproof cover. We will also be toying around with a reversible waterproof version of this - a very cute layer of flannel inside and out, with waterproof PUL in the middle.
One more thing we've tried is the wool soaker make from a thrifted wool sweater. I was rather pleased with the first, though it came out a bit too snug. I have 2 more 100% lambswool sweaters to use, so we'll stitch up a couple more and see how these work out. In that case, we'll have an excuse to try out our Snappi.
If anyone has made or used wool soakers, I have a few questions.
- Do you think it's important to felt the sweater first? Can it be done without an electric dryer?
- Do you recommend using 2 layers? How about 1 if it's felted, and 2 if it's not?
- How much lanolin do you use to lanolize the cover?
- Do I need to lanolize if I wash it with Eucalan, or does that do it all in one step?
As I'm sure you can tell, I am sold on cloth diapers. I'm happy to report that most of the children are very enthusiastic too. The only ones still complaining are the ones that haven't changed a cloth diaper yet. I guess I just need to gently encourage them to do it.
Thank you everyone for the advice and input! You all helped me make sense of the bewildering assortment of options.
Related posts:
- More diaper questions
- Review: Thirsties diaper covers
- Cloth diapers questions from the mailbag
- Review: Bummis!
- Cloth diapers: your input needed
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Filed under: babies, crunchy stuff
Hey, I bet you could dry them at the laundry mat enough to felt them for about 25cents for about 7 minutes. I read it’s the agitation that really felts the material.
My health food store had a 6 oz tub of lanolin for about $6 and you only use a pea sized amount about once a month I’ve read.
You don’t necessarily have to felt the wool for it to be water repellent…the lanoline and natural properties of the wool is what does that. The first wool soaker I bought was an “Aristocrat” brand soaker and it wasn’t felted at all. I did accidentally felt it once and my son couldn’t use it any more because it wouldn’t stretch any more and I couldn’t get it on him. I knitted some wool soakers on my own, not felted, single layer that worked well. I also made one of a wool cashmere sweater that I found at the thrift shop, also not felted that worked well, too.
Eucalan is lanoline with some eucalyptus oil in it for smell (smells great and very clean!). Fill up your bathroom or kitchen sink with some lukewarm water (not hot) and dissolve a pea-sized amount of Eucalan in the water. You have to be careful not to scrub the cover if you don’t want it felted. Don’t wring it out when you take it out of the water, but roll it in a couple of towels and press to dry it then put it flat to dry (exactly what you’d do to a nice sweater).
Wool covers are definitely most comfortable for babies as they are breathable and cloth with no plastic. They do require more care, however, than plasticy ones. Especially good for night time because they will not leak (unless legs are gapping open).
I miss cloth diapering! My baby is 2.5 now and out of diapers for a year!
Heather
Felting is actually accomplished in the washer. Wash the wool in hot water with the agitator going and it felts.
Felting is not necessary. I knit all of our covers and none of them are felted and they all work very well. If you felt the wool it will have little give, so fit will be a challenge, but it will be a bit more water resistent. However, as I mentioned felting is not needed. It is really the lanolin and the wool itself, not the denseness of the material.
I am glad you found some that work for you! I have to say that even though cloth diapering is more work, I truly enjoy it!
Amanda
I wish you all the luck…
I am taking a break from clothe. I am expecting and stopped due to the smell. I use pockets and the inserts were smelling like ammonia, GROSS!
I bleached them and they were ok. I tried washing w/ tide and this am his diaper smelled SO bad I thought he had pooped. Was only pee.
* Do you think it’s important to felt the sweater first? Can it be done without an electric dryer? You don’t have to felt the sweater if you are not going to machine wash your wool when it is a soaker. If you’d like it to be machine washable then felting “preshrinks” it and you don’t have to worry about your size M longies becoming doll sized!
I’m no help there.
* Do you recommend using 2 layers? How about 1 if it’s felted, and 2 if it’s not? I have only used 1 layer and I have done both felted and not. Both work perfectly but the felted is less soft.
* How much lanolin do you use to lanolize the cover? About a TB in a sink of tepid water.
* Do I need to lanolize if I wash it with Eucalan, or does that do it all in one step? I have never used Eucalan
If you have more questions check out my blog:
http://allaboutclothdiapers.com
I love proraps and am glad to see your rave for Coolababy diapers. I haven’t tried them but many of my readers have asked about them.
I just started cloth diapering about a month ago and so far it is going great. i love the pro-raps. I have not tried any AIO yet. maybe that will be next.
Felting by hand would be a great home school lesson.
I bet the kids would love it.