7 Tips For the Cloth Diapering Newbie
1. Speak the language – the first few days you may be a little overwhelmed with all of the new terms and phrases but with a little practice and guidance you’ll grasp this new language quite quickly. To help you learn the language here are some of my favorite cloth diaper dictionaries: Cloth Diaper Terminology, Cloth Diaper Terms and Definitions, and Cloth Diaper Slang. If in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask what an acronym or word means.
2. Start simple, start small – many parents start our their cloth diapering journey by trying to pick one brand and style that they feel will be perfect from birth to potty training. While there is no wrong or right way to start, it is less stressful to start with a sampling of different styles and types to find out which diaper is right for your baby and your lifestyle. What works for the mom who stays at home with their baby might not work for the mom who has to leave their baby with a caregiver.
Try pockets, all-in-ones, flats, and even prefolds. Don’t be scared to try something that looks difficult, it might just become your favorite system. You can always continue to build your stash as you find out what you like.
3. Start at any age – that’s right, with cloth diapering you can start at any age. Most newborn parents are completely overwhelmed with all of the choices to be made that diapering choices might not even be considered until you experience your first diaper rash or until you meet your first cloth diapering parent. Newborns go through a ton of diapers in the first few weeks and while it would be nice to save all of those disposables from the landfill new parents may just be too tired to manage one more load of laundry.
Don’t be afraid to give cloth diapering a try as you become more accustomed to your routine as a parent. I have friends who have openly accepted cloth diapering (and loved it) once their child turned one, two, and even three once they’ve entered potty training..
4. Embrace the poop – because all babies do it! Regardless of if your baby is in cloth diapers or disposable diapers your baby is going to poop. You’re going to have to grab a baby wipe and clean that babies bottom. How you handle the poop from there is what matters most.
Poop can take the form of a solid, liquid, and even a gas! Be thankful for those solid poops which will easily dump into the toilet and flush way. Liquid poops (especially those exclusively breast fed poops) aren’t as difficult to deal with as you think. Most breastfed poops will rinse right out in the wash and don’t even need a pre-rinse (although a pre-rinse is a good idea since stains can happen as your babies are introduced to solids). Parents find that investing in a diaper sprayer that attaches to your toilet helps handle any type of poop – especially the peanut butter sticky poop!
5. Going out isn’t challenging – don’t be afraid to take cloth diapers on day trips or even on vacation. The only difference is that instead of leaving that diaper behind (no pun intended) in the changing room you now dump the poop and store the dirty diaper safely within a sealed wet bag. Wet bags will keep your diaper bag dry and keep the smells (yes – even those poop-plosions) hidden safely inside and no one will know what’s inside.
And be honest…how many of us try NOT to change our babies until we’re ready to leave the mall (or destination of choice) so you’ll only be carrying the dirty diaper for a few minutes until you get back to your car. You may enjoy theseTips for Traveling with Cloth Diapers for longer trips and vacations.
6. Try cloth wipes – because traditional wipes are full of chemicals that can dry and irritate your babies skin. I know disposable wipes are nice to have for those extremely nasty messes and I admit that I keep a pack on hand for my husband when dealing with the poopy messes. Don’t rule out cloth wipes though because that rash that popped up on your babies bum might be caused from the alcohol and added ingredients in the package of wipes you just opened.
Cloth wipes are easy to use and can be thrown in with the load of cloth diaper laundry you already do. Grab a spray bottle of wipes solution (you can even make your own) and spray your babies bum before gently wiping away with a velour, cotton, hemp, or fleece wipe. With 8-12 diaper changes a day your baby will thank you for giving their bum some extra gentle love. Toss the wipe in your wet bag and wash just like you do your diapers.
7. If at first you don’t succeed – try, try again! Accidents happen whether you choose disposable or cloth diapers. In your struggle to wrestle your wriggly little baby (usually while you are half asleep) you might not have put the diaper on incorrectly and the pee has found a place to escape. While that place is normally on your babies bed, car seat or your favorite outfit, don’t let it get you down.
Leaks can happen but you will quickly learn the tricks of the trade! Before long you will become a pro and you’ll know all the secrets. Don’t forget though that cloth diapers aren’t filled with those little gel crystals that absorb 10 times their weight in liquid – once cloth is full it will leak! To be safe remember to change your baby every 2-3 hours (or more frequent as needed) and remember that what goes in your baby eventually has to come out!
Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There are forums, blogs, Facebook pages, manufacturers and retailers out there ready to help you with your cloth diaper questions and problems.
From: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/04/25/7-tips-for-the-cloth-diapering-newbie-guest-post/
From: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2012/04/25/7-tips-for-the-cloth-diapering-newbie-guest-post/
I've been cloth diapering for about 3 years with Softbums. I've had 4 babies in 5 years, so to be helpful, my mother and mother-in-law were buying me disposable diapers for the first month or so after having a newborn to cut down on wash, etc. I found that I was actually glad when the sposies were gone and that I prefer cloth, even in those busy, hazy, sleep-deprived newborn days. With every single brand of disposable, the baby ended up with huge poo explosions up the back that ruined clothes, carseats, bedding, and got on me. I've not had that ONE time with cloth. And the washing is so easy for newborns. I don't have trouble with staining (even if it initially stains, it eventually comes out with all the washing). I definitely recommend cloth, even for newborns!
ReplyDeletePet diapers also come in various forms. The designs are not solely intended for aesthetics but rather address the anatomical differences between male and female pets; the way male pets urinate is not similar to how their female counterpart expel their urine. Furthermore, the kind of pet you have and its size needs to be reflected by the diaper in order for it to perform as intended. Pet owners must remember this so that they won’t mistake dog diapers for cat diapers.
ReplyDelete