The dirty on cloth diapers...

Sorry for the lack of updates, life has been busy...

I'm doing a special post on cloth diapers today for an expecting mommy!

Anyways, Most of you know i cloth diaper, maybe from the pictures of Emmies fluffy butt plastered all over face book or maybe from BBC!

I'm going to cover some basics on cloth diapering..
Of course many people think cloth diapering is just the simple piece of cloth (now known as a prefold or flat) with Pins and plastic pants...well CD'ing has come a long long way!

There are many different types for every walk of life..
Aios, fitteds, pockets,hybrids,prefolds..the list goes on.

An AIO is a diaper that is basically like a disposable in how easy it is to use, it has the diaper and cover in one and goes on like a disposable with velcro or snaps...i recommend these for stay at home dads, and daycare providers because they are idiot proof!! Most of the time these are One size fits all with snaps that make it suitable for babies of all sizes (although most say it doesn't fit at the newborn stage) a great AIO is bum genius or fuzzi buns

A fitted diaper is a diaper that needs a cover.. which makes the diaper 2 parts.. Although some do allow there child to wear a fitted without a cover around the house because they are very absorbent!! Some great fitteds are Bagshot row bamboo, and goodmama's there are alot more great fitteds i just can't think!

Pocket diapers have an opening that allows you to add more inserts for more absorbency these are GREAT for toddlers or heavy wetters in general, some pockets need covers others have a waterproof outer..

Hybrids are a great option for anyone who is trying to test the waters of cloth diapering its actually how i started.. these types of diapers allow you to use either disposable inserts or cloth. We started with g diapers which has a shell with a snap in waterproof liner and either a flushable insert or a cloth insert! Another great one is Grobaby now these are wonderful and super absorbent they are also one size which is great for moms on a budget..the best thing about the hybrid diapers is the shell can be used again and again with new inserts, meaning less laundry and less cost! I have also heard great things about Flips i haven't tried them myself but have friends who swear by them!!

I explained what a prefold was above but it is basically the cheapest route! Best part is now you no longer need to use pins there is a fabulous product called Snappis that allow you to fasten the diaper without pins, saving both your baby and yourself from unnecessary pin pricks..and the waterproof covers have come along way both bummis and Thirsties make excellent covers with cute colors and prints!!

Onto washing cloth diapers, now this is where most people get grossed out or turned off by the idea of cloth diapering but i assure you it is much easier then it may seem! When washing any cloth diaper you have to use a detergent that is free and clear of any fragrance,dyes or enzymes. There are also detergents you can buy off line for cloth diapers....but if your like me ordering online can get annoying... I use all free and clear or seventh generation free and clear and they both work great!!

If your baby is exclusively breast fed the entire diaper poop and all can go straight in the wash since breast milk poo is completely water soluble! When your baby gets older and starts to eat solids you just dump the poo in the toilet and then wash the diaper... If your extremely grossed out by this you can get a diaper sprayer that hooks up to your toilet and has a high stream of water that blasts the poo into the toilet!

Many people have different wash routines for there diapers but i have found that it is all preference...The key is to basically have the diapers smell like nothing, not like pee and not like soap! Most people do a few extra rinses to ensure all detergent is out.

Here are a few websites that have some great info on Cloth diapers and some great diapers!!
www.cottonbabies.com
www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com
www.hyenacart.com
www.gdiapers.com
www.wildflowerdiapers.com

If you have any questions or want more in depth info feel free to leave a comment with your specific question!

I should also mention , there are a great deal of Wahms (work at home moms) who make there own diapers and sell them..I recommend purchasing from wahms whenever you can, Bagshot row bamboo which i recommended above is made by a wahm and is one of the most sought after diapers in the cd'ing world!! You can find Wahms diaper shops on Hyena cart!