Cloth diaper "starter kit"

[Speedy]

Hi ladies! I'm M. I don't have any babes yet, but hopefully soon! I'm starting to look at getting some things in anticipation of a little person joining us soon and I'm interested in cloth diapering, but I have no clue how any of this works lol. I was wondering if you may have any recommendations for a starter kit, either something already pre done or multiple pieces?

I'm also interested in baby wearing and figured someone here might have some insight into carriers. I've been eyeing the Moby's but was wondering what else might be recommended =)

[charlotte]

Hi! I liked the ktan carrier for newborn up to maybe 5 months. After that I used an infantino mei tai and eventually when he was bigger I also rotated in an ergo.

Regarding diapers... a lot of it is trial and error as to what you like and what fits your kid best. Do you plan to cloth diaper while you have a newborn (they may outgrow NB diapers in 8 or 12 weeks)? If you do, that's a good time to try a variety before you invest in a long-term one-size stash.

I recommend perusing the sites Nickis Diapers and Green Mountain Diapers. Just read up and look at the different types. You can spend either a lot of money or very little when CDing. I think some sites allow you to rent a variety stash to sample different types of diapers.

[brandiewine11]

Check out Cloth 101 on YouTube for a good overview of styles. Places like Kelly's closet offer a trial set so you can try before you buy. I recommend a variety as not everything will fit every baby well or you may not like a particular style you thought you would. I, for example, ft a whole stash of pockets and learned I hate pockets. Lol. So don't do that.

For baby wearing, I also liked the ktan for early days or a nice cotton woven.

I prefer structured carriers as they grow. I like my Tula better than ergo. If you have a local chapter of babywearing international go to a meeting. You can try out tons of options and get a better idea.

[Speedy]

I didn't even think about checking out a group, thanks! I know they have a facebook for my city, not sure about if they have meetings but it's definitely something I'll be joining.

I probably will be CDing from as soon as possible, so that's a good point, thanks =) It's good to know that I'll have options. Definitely will have to try some out. I figure I have at least 10 months home after birth, so I may as well use that time.

[critter015]

When I first started I did a trial with Jillians Drawers. Green Mountain Diapers and Nicki's Diapers both have starter set type deals too.

[DGM]

Aug 31, 2017 20:09:53 GMT -6 critter015 said:

When I first started I did a trial with Jillians Drawers. Green Mountain Diapers and Nicki's Diapers both have starter set type deals too.

I did the Jillian's Drawers trial too, and it sealed the deal for me to CD.

[sassyq]

Whatever you decide, I think variety is important. Don't try all one thing. I love being able to switch between flats and covers and pocket diapers.

Babywearing my personal opinions is to have a Moby or stretchy wrap for the early months, then a woven wrap and some kind of scc for the rest of the time. I couldn't live without my woven wrap. If I could only have one carrier that would win every time. It's just so versatile and comfortable. I like having a mei tai for quick trips or variety too. Mine is a baby hawk and it's amazing comfy. I personally hate ring sling or one shoulder carriers and I've never tried a buckle carrier so I don't have any opinion on them. The best thing would be if you have a local babywearing group that allows you to try different carriers and helps you learn how to use them. In the end, it's all personal preference

[piccyami]

Do you have a brick and mortar cloth diaper store near you? Before I had fully decided to cd, I visited a store where I could put my hands on some different styles. That made a huge difference for me.

[Dramaphile]

I liked my moby a lot for the newborn phase, but they do get less supportive and comfortable as baby gets bigger. I switched to a different carrier when my baby hit about 15 lbs. A ring sling is great for newborns, too and can be used for quick ups for older babies (I use mine occasionally for my toddler still). If you have a summer baby, the moby can get hot because of all the layers, so you may want a ring sling or ktan instead for comfort.

Do you have a local chapter of Babywearing International? They have meetings where you can try on carriers from their lending library (with a weighted doll if your baby is not born yet) and you can borrow them if you join and pay a small membership fee. I started with a moby and ended up loving woven wraps and my meh dai because I tried them out with BWI and got tips on how to use them. You can also bring in any carriers you have and they will help you with fit.

Lots of people like soft structured carriers like Tula and Ergo, it's really just personal preference. My recommendation would be to buy something for the newborn phase and then you aren't stuck with something you don't like if you get a longer-term carrier before you can try it.

[Speedy]

I don't have a dedicated cloth diaper store. Unfortunately I live in a smaller city with a low birthrate, so there's not really enough demand for these things. Same goes for a babywearing group. I did ask to join the facebook babywearing page so there's a good chance that I'll be able to meet up with a few other babywearing mamas :-)
I'm looking forward to babywearing as long as I possibly can! I've wanted to be a mom since I can remember and after waiting so long I'm sure I'm going to have trouble putting my babe down.
I'm definitely looking into all these suggestions and learning so much! I spent all last evening watching videos and it gave me the numbers to tell hubby "hey, I'm really going to be doing this" and convince him lol.

[DGM]

Realize too that it doesn't have to be all or nothing when CD. Some of us use disposables at night or when out of the house all day. I don't remember if that's been mentioned here or in the YouTube videos.

[Dramaphile]

Sept 2, 2017 6:46:44 GMT -6 DGM said:

Realize too that it doesn't have to be all or nothing when CD. Some of us use disposables at night or when out of the house all day. I don't remember if that's been mentioned here or in the YouTube videos.

Yes! We CD about 2/3 of the time at this point. It still saves money, but we have the convenience of disposables when we're out of the house for long periods or don't want to worry about overnight cloth.

[linewifekat]

I agree with DGM I keep a pack of disposables in the car because I can't remember to pack cloth diapers when we go to town. It lasts me a few months.

[Speedy]

Definitely flexibility is the name of the game! I know my cousins ex wife uses cloth diapers during the day and disposables for at night. She's actually the one who got me thinking about it in the first place =)
I know my parents are pretty wary about my using them for some reason.

[nikkipal]

I think it's a common reaction to CD. It's pretty misunderstood in general (no, I do not put turds in my washer, TYVM). Really it's about three additional loads of laundry per week. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks to me (not running out of diapers, money savings, freaking adorable baby bums). Even as a person who hates laundry, I never really minded diaper laundry.

[Speedy]

I think they forget that I work in a care home, so I'm dealing with much worse messes all the time. We use cloth rags for cleanup, so I'm already used to washing them out. We also moved into a new apartment this summer where we have a washer and dryer in the unit, and we're planning on staying here probably until we buy a house, so that's not an issue either.
I think they're just remembering back to when they had me and cloth diapered lol

[piccyami]

We're nearly a year into cloth diapering and my dad keeps talking about the way his mom dealt with cloth diapers on a dairy farm with well water. I keep having to remind him that these are not the diapers she was using and the water situation is totally different. The materials are different and the way you wash is completely different.

[Speedy]

So, I wanted to ask without really starting a new thread... Is it odd that I'm hanging out here even though I'm currently child free? I keep coming back and I kind of want to participate but then I think it might be weird... Lol. I know I'm probably worrying for nothing but I hate to step on toes!

[Dramaphile]

Sept 8, 2017 6:36:08 GMT -6 Speedy said:

So, I wanted to ask without really starting a new thread... Is it odd that I'm hanging out here even though I'm currently child free? I keep coming back and I kind of want to participate but then I think it might be weird... Lol. I know I'm probably worrying for nothing but I hate to step on toes!

I have no problem with it, and I doubt anyone else here does. There are lots of people on HIH who are TTC or haven't started a family yet. There may be some discussions on this board that are more parenting-centered, but plenty that aren't. I say the more the merrier! Just don't brag about your extra sleep and lack of stretch marks

[Speedy]

Sept 8, 2017 6:47:46 GMT -6 Dramaphile said:

Sept 8, 2017 6:36:08 GMT -6 Speedy said:

So, I wanted to ask without really starting a new thread... Is it odd that I'm hanging out here even though I'm currently child free? I keep coming back and I kind of want to participate but then I think it might be weird... Lol. I know I'm probably worrying for nothing but I hate to step on toes!

I have no problem with it, and I doubt anyone else here does. There are lots of people on HIH who are TTC or haven't started a family yet. There may be some discussions on this board that are more parenting-centered, but plenty that aren't. I say the more the merrier! Just don't brag about your extra sleep and lack of stretch marks

Deal! Lol

[milano]

Sept 8, 2017 6:36:08 GMT -6 Speedy said:

So, I wanted to ask without really starting a new thread... Is it odd that I'm hanging out here even though I'm currently child free? I keep coming back and I kind of want to participate but then I think it might be weird... Lol. I know I'm probably worrying for nothing but I hate to step on toes!

I started lurking before I was pregnant, and I regret not joining in sooner- so please stay! Not weird at all we talk about more than just babies and diapers anyway.

[piccyami]

Sept 8, 2017 8:04:00 GMT -6 milano said:

Sept 8, 2017 6:36:08 GMT -6 Speedy said:

So, I wanted to ask without really starting a new thread... Is it odd that I'm hanging out here even though I'm currently child free? I keep coming back and I kind of want to participate but then I think it might be weird... Lol. I know I'm probably worrying for nothing but I hate to step on toes!

I started lurking before I was pregnant, and I regret not joining in sooner- so please stay! Not weird at all we talk about more than just babies and diapers anyway.

I was also here for quite a while before I got pregnant.