It has been a very long time since I did a cloth diaper update, and it's about darn stinkin' time I did. (Puns always intended.)
We've learned a LOT since that first update, and I've actually just gone back and edited a few things on that one, since I no longer endorse some of the products on there.
So, let's just jump right into what diapers we use:
BumGenius Freetime All-in-Ones: We bought a couple of these on clearance at Buy Buy Baby and the rest from Craigslist. They are still holding up well for Jo and Micah. The larger sizing fits Jo and the smallest sizing fits Micah. They are easy to wash, dry fairly quickly, and are easy to use. We have about 37 of them, which is about a 2-day supply for a toddler and a newborn.
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| BumGenius are shown on the right |
We had started out using DiaperRite AIOs, but after 5 months of use, these started leaking out the stitching. (Actually, their pocket diapers also started doing this.) The company could not refund me anything (I was past the refund date - since I was so prepared for Jo, we actually passed the refund date before she even started wearing them). They had a few suggestions for potential fixes, but none of them worked. I also could not edit my review on their website (where I had given them a glowing 5-star review). They were absolutely not worth the money!
We have not found a cloth diaper solution for nighttime. Everything we have tried ends up leaking. We've tried pocket diapers and AIOs with microfiber inserts and hemp inserts, in various combinations and quantities, but nothing has worked. So we use disposable diapers at night.
We still really like our Planet Wise wet bags. We still have the large ones from when Jo was a newborn. They are pretty beat up looking, but they STILL WORK. They are a pretty amazing product. Very worth the investment.
These Damero travel size wet bags were not so great. They worked pretty well for a while, but after a year or so, stopped being as waterproof. They're still good bags for carrying dry things, so I'll use them to pack up a change of clothes, or all the bedtime things if we're going somewhere where we'll need to get Jo ready for bed. However, I no longer recommend them for diaper use.
Instead, we purchased some medium-size Planet Wise wet bags to use for travel bags.
We're still using baby washcloths for wipes, and other than adding another package, there's no change here. They're pretty great.
We still like coconut oil and aloe vera for rash creams, although I've also added a homemade salve that's cloth diaper friendly. (This recipe, but with no essential oils, so it's safe for Micah, too.) We don't use either the Cetaphil cream or the Shea Moisture cream shown below anymore. I'd still use the Shea Moisture one, but it's been discontinued. A crying shame, too, because it was cloth-diaper friendly and made my baby smell like Baby Jesus! (Frankincense and Myrrh)
For bad diaper rash, we'll switch to disposables and use Triple Paste or Desitin.
We also switched laundry detergents. We were using Nellie's, which I still think is a great product, but my children have SUPER acidic pee. I have no idea why this is, but it causes an ammonia build-up that then caused HORRIBLE diaper rash. (Like, bleeding rash. Yeah, really awful!)
We started using Rockin' Green Funk Rock Pre-Wash (it's an ammonia bouncer) and Hard Rock (specifically designed for hard water). We had to do a soak with the Funk Rock once, and then just add it to our pre-wash every time. I actually do another soak about 2-3 times a year, just to keep the diapers nice.
We still have these swim diapers, and have since purchased larger sizes for them. I highly recommend both of these (Apple Cheeks and the Bummis Swimmi). The smaller size (Apple Cheeks size 1 and Bummis S) fit Jo the summer she was 6 months and 18 months, and they now fit Micah at 4 months. The larger size (Apple Cheeks size 2 and Bummis XL [I bought XL because L was $10 more expensive]) fits Jo now at 2.5 (25 pounds).
If you have any questions or want any more information, please comment below. I'd love to answer your questions if I can!
