Cloth Diaper Carnival IV: Where did you learn about Cloth Diapers?

This post is part of the Cloth Diapering Bloggers and Dirty Diaper Laundry hosted Cloth Diaper Carnival that is held every month. Many bloggers get together and write about the same topic. This month is “Where did you first hear about/ see cloth diapers?”

When I first got pregnant Eli and I sat down, looked at our bills and decided if we could save up enough money, live frugally, breastfeed and cloth diaper I could stay home with the baby. I started looking on line for cloth diaper options. I never read any blogs or message boards about cloth diapers, only web stores. I've always been a big researcher when it comes to products so I'm not sure why I didn't want to get lots of options on what was the best. I did look at reviews posted on the stores web sites. I found Cotton Babies and was sold on the BumGenius 3.0's!! The web site is really great at explaining how to use and wash your cloth diapers. I felt the BG 3.0 looked easy to use and wash. Even though they have a hefty price of $17.95 each I thought it was worth it to not have to spend that amount over and over on disposables every week for years.

I ordered 3 white to take a look at them and make sure that's what I wanted. When I got them I thought they were great. I showed them to Eli, my Mom and my sister. They were all impressed on the quality and ease. This was it! So I bought 12 more in white. I thought if I bought all white I could keep them clean easier. At the time I was still working and trying to save as much money as I could so the $256.50 was not too hard to do. (As of now I can't imagine spending that much $ all at once!)

When I got my 12 in the mail I washed and prepped them all. My mom and sister helped me stuff them with the newborn inserts and I folded them and placed them neatly in a wicker basket with a lid to keep them nice.

I didn't get them out again until 2 months after Ethan was born! I'm not sure why but the disposables were so easy and being a new parent was really hard. With all the uncertainty we really didn't need to add cloth diapers in the mix!

I'm glad in a way because once I did start using them I did go through a period where I had to really learn how to use, store, wash, dry, stuff, deal with diaper rash, stinky microfiber, stains. And just when I think I have it all figured out, something happens that sends me screaming through the house leaving a naked boy crawling on the floor!

After I started using them I went in search of support and found so many great web sites where women (and men) love to talk about all the how to's of cloth. I learn something new every time I go in search of cloth ideas. There are so many different types, styles, fabrics, colors and patterns to choose from that it could make your head spin round and round!

I am already researching what the best diapers are for newborns so I will be able to cloth our next baby from the start! I know the next time around will be much easier because of every thing I have learned this past 10 months.

On a side note: I have had those BG 3.0's replaced by Cotton Babies 2 times now. It's the velcro. It stops working. It won't stick to the laundry tabs and then won't stick to close the diaper. There's nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to a screaming baby who has half a diaper on and pee all over the bed! Cotton Babies were very nice, telling me that some driers are hotter then others and that was damaging the velcro closures. They were happy to replace them all and told me to only line dry from now on. No problem!

The first time I sent in my 15 white ones and got back 15 new white diapers. Oh, they are pretty when you take them out of that bag! I knew I wanted to try out some different brands so I sold 5 of the new ones. After only a few months the remaining 10 started having velcro issues again! This was when the running and screaming and naked baby came in to play.

I called Cotton Babies back and in my nicest voice told them how much I loved the diapers (I do!) but how frustrated I was with the velcro. The lady was going to just send me replacement velcro that I was going to have to sew on myself but she wanted to talk to some one in charge because "they never have to replace replacements!". She called me back the next day and told me to send them in again and they would replace them all! In the notes line of the return form I asked if I could have a mixture of different boy/ gender neutral colors and they sent them!! Oh, how I love colored diapers!!

The velcro on the new diapers seems to be different then the last two sets I had. Its backing is harder and looks like it will hold up better. The laundry tabs are different, too. They are the loop part of the velcro instead of micro fleece. I'm really hopeful I won't have the same problems as before.

I have also changed my laundry detergent to Rockin Green and I love it!!! It doesn't have a strong smell and it gets the diapers and microfiber inserts sooooo clean and I don't have to do any extra rinses.

I wish I would have done a bit more research in the beginning, gotten more of a selection of diapers to start with and a few different colors. But I have learned so much and can't wait to get some more fun money to shop for more diapers!

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