Cloth Diapering: One Month In

I knew I wanted to do cloth diapering when I found out that I was pregnant.  I did a lot of research, but let's face it: there was way too much information out there than I had time for.  It's kind of overwhelming!

In case you haven't noticed, cloth diapering is a lot different than it was when my mom used them on me.  The thought of plastic pants makes me cringe.  It didn't take long for me to realize that I didn't have to worry about rubber chafing my kid...

bumGenius pocket diaper w/ newborn insert

You may remember a previous entry where I was learning about Flip diapers.  Well, the Flip diapers are cool, but I ended up purchasing 6 bumGenius pocket diapers.  Since I was still thinking they worked like the Flip diaper (wash the insert each change, wash the cover as needed) I ordered 6 covers and 36 inserts.  Boy was I surprised when they arrived, I had prewashed them all, and THEN realized that you wash the whole thing, cover and insert every time.  Yah, so, no returns at this point.  I had essentially 1 day's worth of diapers (not including night) and a whole bunch of useless inserts that I couldn't return.

Tip:  Make sure you know how the diaper works before purchasing...

Alva cover in denim - so cute!

Anyway, I used those 6 and washed them pretty much every day.  They really worked for us.  Yes, a little bulky, but really really adorable (and since I like doing laundry, they were all around fun to use!).  It occurred to me that there had to be some way to put those extra inserts to work -- even if I have to make my own covers.

I really thought about making my own covers, but as the days passed, I realized there is just no way that I'd have time for that.  Let's be real.  I was comfortable using the bumGenius diapers, and I thought used would probably be fine.  Besides, cloth that has already gone through prewash is much more exciting to get in the mail (you have to prewash and dry them 6-8 times before using the 1st time).  I took a shot in the dark and ordered some used covers without inserts on eBay.  In the lot are 3 different brands: Alva, Babyland, and Rainbow BB.  I have only received the Alva ones so far, so that's all I can talk about (although I've heard good things about Babyland and better things about Rainbow BB).

Alva cover in black

In comparison to my bumGenius covers, the Alva covers are softer and not quite so stiff so they seem more comfortable.  The snaps are easier to do (in my opinion) and the sizing is great.  I read that the leg openings are too big and that they would probably only fit a fat-legged baby well, but I don't think it's true, Dec has chicken legs!  The leg opening is not super snug but I've had no problems with leaks after using them every day for a week. 

All in all, I'd totally buy them again, but I'll wait and see how I like the Rainbow BB and Bablyand ones to make a decision on that.  Stay tuned for more on cloth diapering - it's kind of an adventure (c: