What's in my cloth diaper 'stash'?

I do not particularly care for the term 'stash' popular in the cloth diaper world for your wardrobe of diapers, but that is what 'they' call it so... Also, know that I just picked up about 4 or 5 new diapers, and some new inserts in anticipation of our baby girl arriving in February. We got along perfectly fine with about 26 diapers (4 of which were overnight pockets... plus our prefolds and fitteds for backup) until M was potty training.

Also see below for a little crash course in the different types of diapers used for cloth diapering.

So, in case you want to know what we have on hand...

All-in-One's (AIO) - one piece, literally, so this is as close to the disposable experience as you can get. This one blew the mind of our daycare director when we first brought up cloth diapering...

BumGenius Elemental (7-39 lb) - 9 (Clementine, White, Grasshopper, Butternut, Noodle, Sweet, Twilight, Albert, artist series blue)

BumGenius Freetime (8-35 lb) - 2 (snap, Albert & Blossom)

Tots Bots Easyfit ('old' version, aplix, 8-35 lb) - 4 (orange, green apple, cosmo, teal )

Swaddlebees One Size Simplex (10-35 lb)- 2 (swirls, tweets)

GroVia Organic One Size (10-35+lbs)- 4 (vanilla, airplanes, trees/birds, teal)

Thirsties Duo - 1 (aplix, size 2, 18-40 lb, Scottish storm)
Ragababe 'Easy' All In One - 2 (size S, 9-20 lb, pink leopard; size L , 23-40+lb, Pinwheel)

All-in-Two's (AI2) - a two-piece system of a cover that can be reused before washing (if not soiled, can be aired out if wet) several times by changing a (usually snap-in, proprietary) insert.

SoftBums Echo (6-35 lb) - 2 (yellow Aliens, Pink giraffe)

GroVia - shell (aplix, "birth to potty" for weight - blackberry) + 2 stay-dry soakers (we lost one of these diapers very early on - it was thrown away by accident... but it was in the cutest bird pattern that is now discontinued... :(  It had the organic cotton soaker, and I didn't care for how crunchy it was starting to get...)
little gPants (Medium, 13-28 lb.) - 1 (graceful rose)

Pockets - a two (or more) piece system of a cover that cannot be reused until washed because the insert(s) goes inside a fabric tunnel in the diaper.

Little Bee Co Bee Changed Microsuade (8-35 lb) - 1 (Mexican Sol)

Rump a rooz G2 One Size (6.5-35 lb)- 3 (aplix - rootbeer, platinum, lazy lime - the dog ate one of these we had in white...)

Kawaii Goodnight Heavy Wetter One-Size (8-36 lb) - 1 (black/white cow)

GoGreen Champ (6-45 lb) - 1 (toady)

Total: 31 diapers

PLUS....

Prefolds - the 'old school' diapers many of us know to be burp cloths nowadays

Unbleached Indian prefolds - (3 infant, up to 15 lb; 6 Premium, 15-35 lb)

Snappi (3)

Fitted - a self-closing diaper that is not waterproof, so requires that a cover go over it.

Thirsties Fab Fitted - 1 (size two, 18-40 lb., mango)

Ecoposh Recycled Oraganic OneSize (6-35 lb) - 1 (ginger)

Covers - PUL - the waterproof layer that goes over a non-waterproof diaper, like a prefold, flat, or fitted.

Thirsties Cover (size x-small 6-12 lb. , baby bird lavender)

Thirsties Duo Wrap (size 1,  6-18 lb - mango, size 2, 18-40 lb., ocean blue and meadow green)

Covers - Wool -  the waterproof (seems crazy, i know, but sheep stay dry in Ireland, right?) layer that goes over a non-waterproof diaper, like a prefold, flat, or fitted.

Sustainablebabyish Knit Wool Cover - 1 (Large, 30+ lbs, falcon)

Swim Diapers - basically just a diaper cover, usually with a mesh layer closest to skin and gussets. All that's required of a swim diaper, disposable or cloth, is that it contains poop. Even if you aren't into cloth diapering, save a TON of $$ using these instead of disposable swim diapers!!
iPlay Swim Diaper - 2 (Medium, 18-22 lb.,  white)
Swimmi by Bummis - 2 (Large, 22-30 lb, turtles and clownfish)

Extra Inserts - for boosting absorbancy in a standard-from-the-manufacturer diaper. Especially handy for nighttime and napping.

Thirsties Fab Doublers

Rump a Rooz (hemp and microfiber, two sets each)

Little Bee Co (hemp)

other - i've forgotten how these others turned up... but i seem to have about 4 extra, plain, microfiber inserts...

Liners - for keeping moisture from touching baby, especially for diapers without a microfleece layer closest to baby (including prefolds). The disposable version are a big help in dealing with poop, especially in what I call 'stage 2' - beginning solid food.

microfleece - 4

disposable bummis biosoft (small)
disposable Tweedlebugs (small)

WetBag - handy for storing dirty diapers (and their smell) until you get home to your diaper pail. I like wet/dry bags to keep the clean ones in one side, dirty in the other. Also handy for bringing home wet/dirty clothes for kids, grownups, and after the pool/beach. A must for transporting such things home from daycare.
Planet Wise wet/dry bag - 2 (Meadow tweets & lime cocoa bean)
Planet Wise pail liner - 1 (white)

Cream - you need to use a cloth-diaper-safe cream. Sadly, A&D and Desitin are not cloth-safe. But coconut oil is (yes, next to the olive oil at Trader Joe's) and is preferred by many.
CJ's BUTTer (Irish Tweed, Lavendar, Bluberry Crumble)
Lansinoh lanolin (not for babies - for me... and for lanolizing wool)

Wipes - you can use cloth wipes just as you can use cloth diapers. Up until now, I admit that I haven't really started using these... I just felt like they would get more poop into our wash, but I wanted to try them with Baby Sister on the way, thinking of cutting up a few receiving blankets we have and don't need, too.
Green Elephant Co - 6
baby washcloths
Seventh Generation & Honest (disposable, yes, but they are what we use!)

Detergent - most manufacturers recommend that you use a detergen they approve of. For a long time I used All Free & Clear, but eventually moving in with hard water made me change my strategy. I also found a detergent that can be used for stripping diapers - for a periodic deep clean.
Rockin' Green
Mighty Bubbles (stripping treatment, do even one more rinse than they suggest... just for good measure, and don't overfill the washer!!)
free samples for traveling (seriously, whenever you buy from your favorite retailer always check to see if you qualify for a free sample of detergent! They are so convenient to pack for travel. I tend not to be picky about brand on this, as they are all cloth diaper safe, and washing in something different every now and then probably helps prevent build up, right?

Training Pants
Honest Training Pants (eco disposable, but for now we are using these as we potty train for naps and nightime)
Gerber Training Pants - 12 pair (3T, white and boy patterns)

... starting on a tangent at this point... potty training is a whole other topic!!


QUESTION: I added the weight ranges that the manufacturers claim their diapers will fit (so I remember when to break them out for Baby Sister), but I am skeptical at a few claims... can anyone attest to the lower weight ranges of any of these?

QUESTION: Which of these would you like to see reviewed first? I have already reviewed the elemental since its the one we have the most of in our 'stash', though not necessarily our favorite.

Review of the BumGenius Elemental

Overall rating: 4/5 stars.
The bumGenius Elemental is our workhorse diaper, mainly because it makes up the bulk of our stash and seems to be one of the easiest to grab, since its all one piece. It's also a pretty good option for grandparents and daycare and husbands, but they all have to have a few tips on getting the right fit (see below).

This is a one-size diaper, which means it will fit your baby from about 10 lbs to 35+ lbs. BumGenius claims a range of 7-35 lbs. I can't speak to the low end, since our guy didn't start wearing cloth until he was three months old and well past 7 lbs. However, he's now 33 lbs, and has plenty of room to grow.

The many combinations for rise and waist settings help get a good fit. Before hitting toddlerhood we were on the highest rise, and I was concerned we would outgrow these, but he has since slimmed down and we are on the medium rise again and still have plenty of snaps on the sides, too. There aren't any gussets, so its key to make sure there is no gaping at the legs. Also, you do have to take care to make sure all the cotton at the legs is rolled inside the diaper or you will get wicking (meaning the wet fabric will touch baby's clothes and get them wet, even if the diaper isn't full). The elastic in the back keeps in what disposables typically wouldn't with an explosion.

This diaper is really trim! Another mom once commented about just how trim they looked in jeans! In all honesty, though, a one-size diaper will be bulkier when your child is on the smaller weight range. The extra fabric that is folded under or otherwise hidden when in the smallest setting does take up space, and for a while we just sized up our little one's pants. But now he is in his regular size and these don't take up any more space than a disposable.

The Elemental does take a while to dry, and I have found that no amount of time in the dryer will really get it all the way dry in the seams where the inner is sewn in. Our general routine is one cycle in our (gas) dryer, and then hung up to dry outside for a day. This does mean they are out of commission until after the obligatory drying period, but this doesn't cramp our routine style, since we have about a day's extra worth of diapers in our rotation.

This diaper comes in a wide range of solid colors (half pastel, lighter colors, and half more vibrant options) and a only a few patterns at this time (but the Albert pattern is worth having in your stash even if you want to just try this diaper).

This isn't the cheapest diaper out there, but its pretty typically priced for an AIO (all-in one) at $24.99. Again, they fit for a solid two years, and my estimate (while there are other things to consider, I use a rule of thumb that a disposable diaper is about 23 cents, and that you would use a cloth diaper about twice a week) is that they pay for themselves in about a year.

Pros - easy (nothing to figure out for dads, grandparents and daycare - most like a disposable)
Cons - take care getting a good fit around leg openings, takes a while to get dry, especially near where the inner is sewn in.

Use for daycare: 4.5/5 - have to have good communication with them about getting the fit right, and the edges rolled in.

Daddy rating: 4/5 stars - "These could be better if they had the velcro of my favorite diaper [TotsBots EasyFit]. I really like the all-in-one part, though."




Front view: unsnapped (highest rise setting)

Inside

Front view: medium rise setting

On a 31 lb, 37" tall toddler (24 mos)

On a 31 lb, 37" tall toddler (24 mos)

Cloth Diapers for a Working Mom?

Today, the little guy and I met with Beth at Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique to discuss a cloth diaper trial. I have been interested in cloth diapers since we found out we were pregnant. Yes, for the environmental benefit (in my research I found it is actually illegal to throw poop in a landfill! Yet that is exactly where disposables go! How do we all get away with it?), but mainly for the benefit to my wallet, and my baby's bottom. And also because of the promise of fewer-to-no blowouts and easier potty training (when that time comes) AND, honestly, because they are so darn cute!. With all the positives, the glaring negative, elephant in the room, is that surely they are more work, and potentially more gross, to deal with -- right? Especially for two parents who work full time outside the home? (For more pro's and con's see What To Expect's list)

As I mentioned, I scoured the internet in my research to see what this cloth is all about, but I couldn't find anything that proved that two working parents could successfully use cloth diapers to their benefit. So this is what I am setting out to test.

Beth's business offers a cloth diaper trial for 30 days. At the end of the trial, I can return the diapers (so long as we haven't destroyed them) if cloth isn't for us, or if it is, I can swap any particular ones I didn't like for ones that I preferred. Sounds like a deal to me. And also, even though I had looked everywhere online, I couldn't actually put my hands on any of the different models to get a feel for how they would attach to the baby, etc. So Beth also offers a demo at her place for the type-A's of the world. I took her up on both of these things.

I went over to Beth's this morning and she (very patiently) explained the different types of diapers to me, after she (very patiently) heard about my diapering situation. "The situation" is as follows: My husband and I both work full time, and in about a month, I will be returning to that full time job and sending my little guy off to daycare (also full time). So far, day care has said that they will not deal with cloth diapers, so I am really only looking at nights and weekends for this (unless I can convince day care to change their perspective...). Also, did I mention that my husband is not into this at all? If this trial can convince him, it should convince anyone. He thinks that afore-mentioned elephant is a deal breaker just thinking about it. My guy is 8 weeks today, about 12 lbs, and pretty tall, I think (his official stats from the pediatrician will be out next week).

After an hour with Beth (again, she was so patient with me!), to start we are trying one of each of the following:

Grow Via shell set
Thirsties duo (size one) + infant sized prefolds + snappi (or not)
BumGenius organic one size AIO (Elemental)
Rump-a-rooz G2 one size pocket