How many diapers do I need? TOP
Your newborn will need to be changed 10-12 times a day. After about
2-3 months your baby will need to be changed 6-10 times a day. At 6+ months your baby will need to be changed 8-10 times a day. You will
want to do laundry at least every 3 days if not sooner. You may use the
above guide to determine how many diapers per size to buy.
If you choose...
One-size pocket diapers from newborn stage then purchase 24-36 depending on how often you want to do laundry (24 dipes for every 2 days at the newborn stage or 36 for every 3 days at the newborn stage). As your baby gets older the 24 or 36 diapers might last more than 2 or 3 days because they don't need to be changed as often. Usually one-size diapers come with the inserts you need so you don't have to purchase anything else. Remember the one-size dipes cost more, but are pretty much all-inclusive for diapering life of your child and another child or two.
Pocket diapers in different sizes, then you would need 24-36 newborn or small sizes for the above reason of washing every 2-3 days. Then at 6+ months you would purchase mediums. Many babies tend to stay in the medium size up thru 24-28 pounds. Most pockets do not come with inserts so they would be need to be purchased separately.
Fitteds and covers then you would need to purchase 24-36 fitteds, like the Happy Heiny Huggers, in newborn or small. You would need 5-6 covers. You don't need ot change these as often as they can air dry between changes and don't need ot be washed until they get soiled. Then at 6+ months, you would buy the next size up in fitteds and covers.
Prefolds and covers - would be the same as the fitteds/covers above.
What did I do? I went with fitteds and covers for my baby's buns the first 6-7 months. They're so cozy and work well with the newborn poop stage. Then at 6 or 7 months I switched to pockets and one-size diapers. With my next babe, this is what I will do. It worked well for us and I'm just saving my stuff for my next child.
Remember - this is an investment! If you're starting out your family, you have the wonderful option of using the diapers you purchase again with your second child and beyond. The up front cost with cloth dipes is more than disposables, but you save big in the long run!
To save money, buy 24 in whatever you choose and make a commitment to do laundry every 2 days during those first 2-3 months. Then when their diaper changes slow down, your laundry days will eventually move from 2 days to 3 days.
How often do I need to change the diapers? TOP
Cloth diapers are not like disposables. You do have to change the
diapers every 1 1/2-2 hours during the day. During the night you will use
either a night-time diaper or you will add more stuffing to your pocket
diaper or more absorbancy to a fitted diaper with a doubler.
My babe at 15 months can usually go all night (10 hours) in a Happy Heiny's One-Size dipe with both of the inserts that come with it. I also use this same combo during nap times during the day.
Earlier when I was using fitteds and covers from 2-7 months, I just added a doubler for the night and that worked well. What's great about cloth is that you can customize the dipe to your child. Add more inserts to a pocket diaper or add a doubler to a fitted, etc. I love that! You can also adjust where you put the doubler or insert to where it's effective for YOUR baby!
Do I need to pre-wash any of the items? TOP
Because there are several people touching our products before they
reach you, we do suggest that you prewash everything before use. The hemp
products are washed by our mill but because they contain natural oils we
suggest washing a few times prior to use. Unlike many fabrics, hemp becomes
more absorbent the more it's washed. It takes roughly 8 washes before
all of the oils are removed and the hemp is fully absorbent. We do suggest
that you wash new hemp separately until it is fully primed. The oils can
cause repelling problems with fleece products
How can I get stains out? TOP
The sun is the best stain remover. Take your wet diaper and hang
to dry in the sun. If the stain is stubborn squirt it with a little lemon
juice and it should come right out after drying in the sun.
Why are my cloth diapers leaking? TOP
First of all, make sure that you washed everything before using. There can be residue left on the fabric from the production process that can cause leakage.
Then, figure out where the leak is coming from.
If the diaper is leaking out the top, make sure that the insert isn't pushing the lining fabric up against your baby's clothing. That will cause the diaper to wick moisture up and out of the top. The top edge of the diaper should be flat against your baby with the soft fabric against your baby's skin.
If the diaper is leaking out the side of the legs, change the diaper and remove the insert. If it is saturated then your baby either needs something more absorbent or a more frequent diaper change. If it isn't saturated, then you either have a fit issue or a repelling issue.
To observe fit, pick up your baby's legs after putting the diaper on and observe how it fits around the bottom of their bottom.
If the diaper is leaking out the back, make sure that the insert is tucked in completely. If the insert is sticking out the top of the diaper, it will wick moisture onto your baby's clothing.
Every baby is different. Some brands of cloth diapers and diaper covers may just not fit your baby well. It's a good idea to try a few different brands when first starting out.
