FTM cloth diapering for little one due in 5 weeks, where to start?

rdevotie

New member
I’ve been procrastinating ordering diapers because honestly it’s overwhelming and I don’t know where to start!

Is it possible/worth it to cloth diaper a newborn? If so, what should I get? There are so many different types and brands and advice out there on newborns v infants, daytime v nighttime.

TIA I know there will be a learning curve but having the right items will be half the battle!
 
@rdevotie We started using cloth in the hospital! Our newborn stash was 48 newborn sized prefolds and six newborn covers. That was perfect for us. I thought 48 would be a generous amount, but we actually had to wash every other day for a while, because my baby hated being wet and would cry every time she peed. She went through 15-17 diapers a day, and we line dry diapers, so we needed a bit of a buffer for drying time. She only started fitting into one size diapers around three months, so we got a lot of use out of them.
 
@rdevotie My little is 6 weeks old and we are just starting to phase out of her newborn size— it’s been totally worth it! It does not seem more difficult than disposables to me- we have gifted disposables that we’ve used occasionally on trips out of the house, but I’m going to return or regift the rest (did not follow the advice of using up the disposables first). I have a mix of everything- prefolds, preflats, fitteds, all in ones and honestly have liked them all! The all in ones are the only ones we’ve had a couple leaks with though. I do think prefolds are the most versatile, as another commenter said, as you can continue to pad fold them when the baby gets older. As far as brands: the prefolds/fitteds I have are green mountain diaper, paired with Thirsties duo wraps and they are both great! I thought Velcro would be easier but acrually prefer my snap ones. I have blueberry simplex for the all in ones.

I would recommend reading the info on the Green Mountain Diapers website too! That was really helpful for me for deciding what to buy and how much.
 
@rdevotie I think cloth diapering a newborn is worth it! I had no problem cding my baby right from birth. If you use flats or prefolds, the diapers will still be useful past the newborn phase, so even if you get overwhelmed and switch to disposables for a while you won't be truly wasting money.

I highly recommend a system with inners (flats, prefolds, fitteds) and covers. greenmountaindiapers.com has a great selection and is a great resource for learning as well. You need covers with all these, I personally recommend thirsties duo wraps and nicki's covers. Pros of flats: highly customizable fit, quickest + simplest to wash and dry, fits from birth to potty training so you don't need to buy multiple sizes. Cons of flats: you have to fold them (all at once or one per change), hardest learning curve. Pros of prefolds: still quick + simple to wash and try, can be folded around baby to contain poop or can go right into cover for a very quick change, most versatile when not used as a diaper imo (cleaning, diaper free time, burp cloth, etc). Cons of prefolds: less fit customization, have to buy multiple sizes. Pros of fitteds: straightforward (not much of a learning curve), easy poop containment, quick change. Cons of fitteds: pretty expensive, often you'll need multiple sizes, harder to wash + dry.

If you choose to use disposables in the first few months, another popular type is the pocket diaper. These don't fit well til 10-12lbs but should fit until potty training. They go on almost as simple as a disposable, so they are great for quick changes, caretakers, and daycare. You can customize the absorbency as well. The only downside is that these take prep, because you have to stuff them. You can sit down and prep them all at once, or you can prep one during the diaper change.

I wash every other day and I am a sahm so I don't mind longer changes. If I could go back in time and start fresh with my stash: 24x birdseye flats, 12x newborn prefolds, 12x small prefolds, 12x medium prefolds, 6x thirsties duo wraps size 1, 6x nicki's covers (thirsties size 2 would be better for skinny legs), 6x thirsties natural pocket diapers, 3x snappis, 4x hemp boosters. My baby is only 12w so I expect to need more snappis (they break) and boosters. I actually use wool covers 90% of the time, they're more work but feel free to ask if you wanna know more :)

Second-hand is a great way to get a nice variety! Check marketplace, offer up, and mercari to see what's available!
 

Similar threads

Back
Top