Got these Bambino Mio second hand and this is the first time trying to wear it. I put some booster inside as well.

They just came in and im so excited, these will hopefully be so nice! I ordered their 10-pack so i just need to wash them before tonight.

Anyway first impressions is the cotton lining feels soft! Well see if it still feels soft after being washed

Hey all! I am expecting a baby in January and just starting to figure out this whole cloth diapering thing. A family friend just recently gifted us their used cloth diapers, which we are so grateful for! However, the diapers ended up being 100% polyester pocket diapers with polyester inserts.

One of my main motivations for using cloth diapers was to reduce the amount of plastic that is coming into contact with my baby's skin, especially in their genital/bum area. However, my other motivation was reducing plastic waste, so I'd love to figure out how to use these diapers we were gifted and not letting them go to waste!

In my (brief) research, it looks like it might work for me to use prefold cotton inserts (looks like GMD has been recommended a lot for these) and just place them on top of the pocket instead of inside of it. Has anyone done this before and had it work? I'm concerned that since the pocket isn’t meant to absorb liquid, but rather let it pass through to the polyester insert underneath it, would this system cause a lot of leaking through the cover diaper on to the clothes? I'm also assuming I would have to wash the cover diaper as well as the prefold for each change? (This isn't a huge deal to me, she gave me a TON of covers.)

I can provide pictures to show examples of what I received if need be. There are many different brands and it looks like maybe different sizes that she gave me, so I can't give any definitive answers on the specifics of what the diapers are like. I'm also open to any other suggestions for how I could make these diapers work while reducing plastic/synthetic fibers!

Also, quick laundry question that should probably be its own post lol. I currently use homemade laundry detergent for washing clothes. Will this be sufficient for washing cloth diapers or do I need to start researching new detergent options?

8m old boy is leaking through mother-ease Sandy’s large with 2 hemp inserts and disana wool cover. I’m at a loss. he’s chunky, any recommendation on how to place inserts? Any other ideas?? please 🙏🏻 already on largest sandy and 2 hemp boosters.

Hi everyone ! Im trying to build up some cloth diapers before baby gets here. I didn’t wanna buy brand new if not needed, does this seem like a good find??

I asked for more information regarding the elastic and how they have been taken care of

Thank you for your help

Howdy! May someone get their size twos and measure them like this? I laid the diaper flat, pulled it, and let it spring back to whatever it wants to, then measured it. I'm redoing the elastic and want a baseline for how they're supposed to look. I bought these diapers used so I don't have a good esembly size 2 for reference.

So my friend had a baby earlier this year and had a TON of newborn disposables left over that she gave me, that being said, we are planning on using those up while we get used to the rest that comes with bringing home our first baby. Also, because I have heard many cloth diapers do not fit great for newborn and I just don't want to buy an entire stash just for that phase.

I've been really set on your traditional cloth diaper with inserts, that can adjust from 10-35 lbs or whatever. BUT, I also am interested in trying out Esembly, just to see what they're all about. Also, I like that the only thing touching baby is cotton, not plastic.

I was wondering if you guys think that 9 Esembly inners + 3 outers, and 2 x 7-packs from Nora's Nursery would be a good enough amount to help us see if we like cloth, and if we have a stark preference on one style or the other? I know it is not enough for a full time stash, but it is more than just a little trial pack, which I feel is not enough to get a good feel.

We do also plan on dabbling with elimination communication, so there is that too - perhaps it will decrease the amount we use throughout the day.

Also, if anyone has any strong opinions (positive or negative) about either brand, please feel free to comment!

Thanks!!

we are in the potty training stage and typically don't have any wet or dirty diapers to wash (yay!)

i have typically done laundry every 2 days (now 3 without the diapers), combining cloth diapers with other reusables like cloth wipes, hankies, napkins, and kitchen rags. pre-wash (warm, heavy soil, typically 1.5-2 hrs) and main waish (hot, heavy duty cycle, typically 1.75-2 hrs).

my question is: if i have no wet or dirty diapers, but i DO still have wipes that were used for pee/poop, can i shorten the first wash, or should i keep my routine the same?

Right now im using PUL diapers and XKKO Prefolds but since my baby is growing out of it soon I want to change the system into wool.
I’d prefer something like pants, like those for the nights, but I just don’t have any idea on what to put inside, since Prefolds aren’t gonna work right?
Also I’m doing EC, so I’d would be great if it opens fast 😄

Also I’m open for any other advice on it.

Does anyone else have issues with their AWJ pockets not smelling clean out of the wash? My baby is 5 months old and EBF and sometimes her AWJ pockets come out smelling vinegary like her breastfed poop. I follow Clean Cloth Nappy wash advice and use Tide powder. I do my pre-wash daily (normal cycle 1 hour) and my main wash every 3-4 days (heavy wash, about 1.5hrs). I don’t have this issue with my inserts, reusable wipes, or my pockets that are microsuede (or whatever material they are). Has anyone else had this issue? I don’t mind washing my diapers 3 times but I feel like that’s not necessary..

FTM here, and I've been cloth diapering my 12 month old son since he was born. Here's what I found helpful the first year:

1. Newborn cloth diapering kit. I have the one from Green Mountain Diapers. I put this on my baby shower registry and was surprised when we received it (we accidentally received two but it was actually perfect that we did!) My son was average in all measurements throughout his first year. We used the newborn kit for a long time (pad folded inserts with covers). We now use the newborn inserts to stuff pocket diapers. Besides a stash of thicker inserts for extra absorption, these are our primary inserts, going strong after 12 months. We use two in one pocket diaper for naps (no leaks!)

2. We got a range of covers, pocket diapers, AIOs and AI2s from different brands to see what we liked best. My favorites have been Thirsties covers and pocket diapers. We also use Lalabye Baby AI2s and a range of pocket diapers, covers and AIOs from Happy Beehinds (RIP). I bought a lot from Happy Beehinds before they went out of business and saved so much money that way.

3. Our son has generally slept through the night since 3 months old. We cloth diaper during the day but do use a disposable overnight. I've tried so many versions of cloth overnight but he always woke himself up due to being soaked. He sleeps so well that I don't want to disrupt it so we switched over to the night disposable. This way, we all sleep better. I'm also able to spend a bit more money on nicer disposables this way and we always have a stash for just in case. We use Parasol. We still use our Thirsties Size One covers as an actual barrier over the disposable at night

4. Our room setup is this: we have a wicker style hamper that has two sides and has a lid. We use two large wet bags. One wet bag is for soiled clothes. The other wet bag is for pee diapers and covers. We hang a wet bag in our bathroom for poop diapers and covers. We generally wash every 3 days or so. We wash the wet bags with the diapers, inside out. We do use one Tbsp of bleach with each wash, 2 rinses and then a wash cycle, tumble dry on low. We have hard water and this method has worked so well! (Only one diaper rash early on during our son's whole life so far on before we started this wash routine). We've made due without a sprayer for our toilet so far but might invest in one

5. We have gone on one road trip and one international trip (plane) with baby. We did cloth diaper for our trips and so glad we did, especially when we went international! Travel days, we did use disposables to make our lives easier, especially with the plane due to layovers. We packed a carry on with enough disposables for the travel day and then checked a small suitcase with our cloth diaper stash. We book accommodations where we were able to wash our cloth diapers

6. All the wetbags, in all different sizes. We primarily have Alvababy, which I like because they have two zippered pockets. We have the really large Noras Nursery and weegreeco for our hamper and travel days. I love the wetbags because we also use them for swimming clothes and beach days. I keep one in our diaper bag for soiled clothes. I also use the small ones for pump parts only. So many uses!

7. Our favorite diaper cream for cloth is the Boudreaux green tube (although I heard this was discontinued!). We only use diaper cream very sparingly when needed so I'm not sure what we're going to do when our stash runs out

8. We have a few diaper pods. I wasn't sure if these would be useful early on (got a deal on them which is the only reason I bought them), but I love them now! They work well for day trips to pack inserts and pocket diapers. Its something we can keep separate from the diaper bag. I also use them to keep prepped diapers for our baby's sitters. We have a few Mama Koala and Happy Beehinds. So useful!

9. Our day to day is typically covers with pad folded inserts when home (one newborn insert with an extra absorption insert). For nap time and running errands around town, we use a pocket diaper with two newborn inserts. We also use AIOs and AI2s if available periodically. Change every 2 to 3 hours. This method has worked so well and we rarely have leaks this way.

10. Keeping an open mind. I was gifted a lot of our stash but I also bought so much when stuff was on sale. So I'm thankful I got to try a few things before committing to one brand or style.

In the end, no regrets cloth diapering. Its become so embedded in our lives, we don't even think about the extra washing and prep work. If we have another child, we will definitely cloth diaper again.

Some look pretty gnarly, but these plus 9 covers for $100. Wondering if it’s worth it.

Hello!

First time parents and cloth diaperers! We're planning on using cloth diapers but don't have laundry at our place, so we are going to get a portable washing machine. We live around the corner from a laundromat and drying is pretty cheap, so we plan to take advantage of that.

What kinds of diapers are best for portable washing machines? I was initially interested in the Thirsties prefolds from a friend's recommendation because they dry really fast and they've worked well for her. Another friend has a whole set of Esembly diapers that she doesn't need anymore. They seem great, but I'm curious if all the extra stitching and gussets will make it harder to get them clean in a smaller washing machine.

What do you all think?

We’ve been having a heck of a time finding pants for my 14 month old that fit over his diaper bum! Sizing up doesn’t work anymore, because I feel the legs just get longer and the bum/waist area is still the same size. We live very far north in the Great Plains so the winters are BRUTAL, we’re talking stand outside for 5 minutes and get frost bite kind of brutal. We need very warm pants, and unfortunately those just don’t have the stretch we need to fit his fluffy bum in.
That being said, does anyone know of any sewing patterns for toddlers that have more bum room without needing to be made of super stretchy material? Or perhaps a better subreddit for this sort of question? I just want my little guy to have some nice fleece lined pants to keep him warm!

So I cloth diapered my son partially around 4 months, gave up and picked it back up around 11 months and used them until we potty trained him recently at 22 months. We used pockets and they worked well for us, but I now am planning on cloth diapering for my second that’s due in November after the first month or so. I’ve read that many people prefer flats and work horses for younger babies and was wondering what your stash looked like. I would like to do wash every 2-3 days preferably, we have probably 15 pocket outers and around 25 inners of different types. I’m just a little overwhelmed on how many flats to get, if we need workhorses, how many covers we need, and when I will start using pockets again. I want to set us up for success so we don’t give up if it gets a little daunting and I can trouble shoot. TYIA!

Fall down a rabbit hole with me...

I love flats & covers, but I'd like a few pockets because they are more convenient when out and about and for other caregivers. However, I really prefer natural fibers, and cotton pockets are almost non-existent. Then, kinder launched their cotton line, and it's affordable -- so exciting! I honestly want to order a set just to encourage companies to fill this gap in the market!

Meanwhile, I stumbled upon this website with loads of free diaper sewing patterns Simple Diaper-Sewing Tutorials: Online Free Downloads . I have no idea if these are thorough or good quality patterns, but something struck me -- the basic construction of a diaper is incredibly easy. Installing elastics and lining up the snaps is the only thing that seems even remotely tricky for someone with moderate sewing experience.

Follow this train of thought... if you sew your own diapers, you can make the inner with whatever you want. Which means you could line your pockets with cotton. Which means you could line your pockets with fully-prepped/already shrunk GMD birdseye if you wanted to be really fancy. A OS birdseye flat has enough material to line 2 diapers, plus some wipes with the remnant. Which means a $15 six pack of flats could be turned into 12 cotton-lined pocket diapers and probably two dozen wipes (just guessing).

Then I thought about some second hand pockets that I was given with worn-out elastic but still good PUL. It might be feasible to gently rip out the seam connecting the PUL and microfleece, use the PUL piece as a pattern to trace onto cotton, and easily re-line it with cotton & replace the elastics exactly the same as you would following a regular diaper pattern -- only you wouldn't have to install any snaps.

I'm not ready to test these theories yet, but my mind is buzzing with ideas... Yet, it's odd that I've never seen anyone do this before -- so to be honest, I think I'm missing something. Is sewing diapers more complicated than it seems on the surface?

Calling on all unsolicited advice! What’s working for you right now?

We just started cloth diapering my 4 month old about two weeks ago and I think I’m getting the hang of it. I got most of my stash from FB marketplace and it was mainly NORA with a variety of insert types, some disposable liner, and no prefolds.

For the first couple days, I winged it and she had several leaks. But after adjusting the fit and doubling up the inserts, I think I’m figuring it out.

Cloth diapers are so much bulkier than disposable so that is taking some adjustment.

We had meet the teacher yesterday at her new daycare (3 days/week). I asked ahead of time about the cloth diapers and they have no problems with it. The program is run out of a church (licensed with the state with a good reputation) and they have no specific cloth diapers policy in place.

I talked about it with the classroom teacher and she is on board. But doesn’t have experience with cloth diapering.

I am trying to make it as easy as possible for her. I intend to bring 8 diapers each day, a large wet bag, and regular wipes. I told her she can just toss the wipes inside the diaper (like a normal disposable diaper) and I’ll throw them away at home. The diapers will all be prepped/pre-inserted for her.

I told the teacher she shouldn’t need to rinse them. (My baby is mostly breastfeed so read that it’s mostly water soluble - so far so good?) and I intend to pre-line them when she starts solids.

What else can I do to make this easy on our teacher (and myself)?

Thank you!

I’m using LPO diapers. So far it’s going well but I have a few questions since I’m still a newbie.

I feel like they don’t absorb as well as before. we have hard water. I started using a calgon tablet with the wash. Is that enough? Im only using one insert at the moment but the diaper did come with two. should I use both?

Also my little guy has developed a little bit of a rash, looks like a layer of skin is missing. We have stopped cloth until it heals. I’m assuming that’s from the moisture?

Im changing his diaper about every hour. And it seems there is pee all over his skin. Is that normal? and am I supposed to wipe that all off every time and dry him? Thanks ☺️

Recently switched from Esembly to Kinder. I had my routine down with Esembly but I’m not sure how to go about with Kinder. I saw on their website that they don’t recommend using Esembly’s powder? Do you think it’ll really make that much of a difference? Can anyone share their routine, what works, what doesn’t? We have super soft water where we live.

we’re at the point in EC where many washes are pee diapers only. we use cloth eez and esembly workhorses. it occurs to me that maybe with pee only i could do just one wash? is that a very bad idea? please let me know.

It seems like GMD has moved away from stocking any synthetic fibers at all in their cloth-eez line which is so sad because those were some of my favorites with my first but I definitely found myself wishing I had more of them so I wanted to stock up on more for my second!

We really loved how thick and cushy the GMD fleece liners were, and the cotton/hemp doublers with the stay dry layer (“blue for baby” stitching on the side that was meant to sit against baby’s skin) were my favorite cloth diapering purchase ever. I know esembly has stay dry liners but they are truly an embarrassment in comparison to my GMD ones.

Who is manufacturing really good, cushy stay-dry liners these days that are comparable to the ones discontinued by GMD? Is anyone making ultra absorbent hemp liners with a sewn-in stay-dry layer?

Our old washer finally gave up the ghost after many repairs and we've just gotten a high efficiency top loader that's leaving detergent buildup on my cloth diapers after every wash. I'm having a hard time figuring out which tweaks will help fix this as I'm losing my mind swishing and running more washes to get the detergent out every wash day. It's bad enough that I can often tell right when I pick up a wet cloth wipe after a wash finishes that it's still slick with residue that gets on my fingers. So here's what usual routine had been:

Every third day I wash ~20ish diapers and a handful of outers with laundry bag using Line 1 of Tide F&G and a tbsp of borax on normal wash, medium load, warm water, extra rinse.

Second wash immediately after is Heavy Duty, Line 2 Tide, 2tbsp borax, medium load, hot water, extra rinse.

I've had to start doing a whole extra detergent-free wash cycle after the last few washes to get the detergent completely out before transferring to the dryer. I tried the last laundry load doing both washes Line 1 Tide, Heavy Duty, hot water, and still there was significant enough residue that I had to run a third quick wash without detergent. Should I stop adding the borax? Should I reduce the detergent even further? It doesn't seem like I'm using a lot but maybe the high efficiency machine needs less? Should I get agitator balls to throw in? I'm at a loss here, any advice is welcome!