Thank you for mentioning flats. I love them, so clean! I had my baby in the eighties and used double-weave cotton muslin flats, plastic pull-on covers, and pins. Hard limestone water and a top-loader washing machine. I never even heard of stripping diapers. I think I used Arm &Hammer and Cheer, or was it All? I know as soon as the companies started producing the less-dye, less-scent detergents, I used them. I'm sure that sometimes during my diapering time, I must have had a load that smelled iffy after washing, because I have vague memories of throwing in some baking soda and giving them an extra rinse. That's how I dealt with bedding and clothing decades later, when I was helping a friend care for her mom. I used a dry pail by necessity; I could not lift a diaper pail full of water. I did dunk and swish poopy diapers in the toilet. I'd give the dirty diapers (and burp cloths and anything thrown up on ) a presoak and spin, and then a wash. After the spin I would throw in any other laundry I wanted to add. Sometimes baby clothes and crib sheets, sometimes even my own lightweight clothes. I think my washer had an "extra rinse" setting, I know sometimes I gave it an extra rinse. Living proof that flats are great! I love those plastic pants, too. I'd take everything out of the washer and hang the plastic pants when I threw the diapers in the dryer. I dried on low and didn't worry if one got left in for the dry.
I pocket diapered (diaper rite) my first no real problems, then my 2nd daughter leaked all the time! Bought some other brands with no luck. That is a great explanation... I have to decide whether to sell my 40 pockets before the elastic ages... I think I will because I fell in love with flats and covers.
I love the way you talk, it has a nice rhythm and I was able to watch the whole video without getting tired of hearing you. :D Very instructional video, well done!
Great post, thank you! I like the wipes reccomendations at the end, and you addressed a lot of pointers that are going to help us avoid issues as we go along!
+Christina Juarez Thank you so, so much!! That is so nice to hear. I have every intention of keeping it up, but unfortunately it is so hard to find time now that my daughter hardly naps!! There are not enough hours in the day I swear :D Cloth diaper detergents... this was another source of torment for me lol. Right now this is my routine with my front-loading HE washer: -2 prewashes -long hot wash with 2 scoops of Charlie's soap, no spin -another hot wash with no detergent, no spin (sometimes I'll throw in their hard water booster) -an extra rinse/spin cycle at the end I know some babies have gotten rash with Charlies, but after trying like a dozen other detergents that didn't work I made the switch and it has worked so, so well for us! For that reason though, I don't so much recommend it as just saying that that's what I use with success! :)
Hello ! Thank you so much for your videos, I love them, they are so helpfull!! I am new to cloth diapers and i am pregnant with my first baby. I did not buy anything yet and was checking reviews on UA-cam. I really liked your tips and reviews , and you convinced me to try flats and covers :) !! Now my problem is that i don't Know How many things to buy of each thing . How many size 1 cover should i need ? And How many size 2 or OS ? You recommended the Thirsties size one and the Flip , and I was wondering what do you think about the blueberry Capri cover size 1 and size 2 ? Also, I saw that the Geffen baby flats comes in 4 sizes ( xsmall to xlarge) , so I don''t really Know which sizes I need and How many of each ? Also how many jersey flats I need and How many fleece flats ? And How many Sweet irish flats (do i need them if I have the Geffen baby Ones?) I am sorry , it is a lot of questions !!! Thank very much Again for the reviews :) !!!
+Sophia Bayade First off, I love all your questions!! You remind me of myself when I was pregnant and didn't know anything (and spent like 3 straight weeks day and night doing research lol). I'm so glad you are thinking covers and flats! If you stick with that you'll never have to know the horrors of starting with diapers that are harder to clean lol. If I were doing the newborn phase all over again, this is what I would buy: -Thirsties size 1 covers -Flip covers -Geffen Hemp Jersey Flats -Sweet Iris Half Flats (Pad-fold size), and some size smalls (1) I just checked again and the Geffen Flats still only come in one size - the Jersey Flat is smaller than the Fleece flat. Here's some links: Jersey: geffenbaby.com/products-page/flat-diapers/hemp-jersey-flats/ Fleece: geffenbaby.com/products-page/flat-diapers/hemp-fleece-fladdle-flatswaddle/ At the newborn age, I'd skip the Geffen Fleece and just alternate the Jersey with some Sweet Iris Flats (though you could always buy one of the fleece just to try). If you only want to go with just one, I'd choose the Sweet Iris pad-fold flat, but I like having some diversity, and I still use both my Geffen Jersey and Sweet Iris half-flat every single day. As for how many of each, it's a good idea to assume 26 if you're washing every other day, though if I could do it all over again, I'd buy a few of each and see what I like first! Ultimately different people like different things and it's okay to use some disposables in that first week or two while you figure out what works for you. Plus it's better for your wallet in the long run vs buying a ton of diapers you don't like. (I wish I would have done that!) The Geffen Jerseys and Sweet Iris half-flats are great for pad-folding into an insert and laying in the cover, and the size small SI you can either pad-fold or wrap around your baby and snappi (wrapping around is great for preventing leaks and blow-out poops! There are so many different folds you can do - not gonna lie it's fun too!) You could also wrap the half-size SI around your baby and snappi, but I wouldn't recommend the Geffen for that, as some people have gotten holes apparently. Anyway, the point is there are so many different options how to use them! Also, make sure that your flats are fully prepped first or you might get leaks. (2) As to how many covers for each, again I'd recommend maybe start with a few and make sure they work for you! And concerning the Thisties size 2: I didn't even start using that until around 10 months I think. You've definitely got time before you need any of those! lol (3) As for the Blueberry, I never tried the newborn capri diaper. If you find yourself drawn to it, maybe get a couple of those to try too! One thing I have definitely found about Blueberry as a company though is that their products are very inconsistent. I had 16 or so newborn simplex diapers I used with my daughter and a third of them didn't really fit at all at first and we got terrible leaks, and the others were great. I had the same problem with some of their one-size covers. They are also expensive and no better than other diapers, which is why I buy and recommend other diapers over theirs, but hey, that's just my opinion and different people like different things! I hope that answers some of your questions! Please, if you have any more just ask! :D
Thank you so much for your answer :D !!!! Thank you for all the details ! I am so happy to have found your reviews before buying lots of stuff ! I can't wait to see more of your video ! Thanks a lot and congratulation , you are amazing ! :)
Skinny waist thick thighs is not a weird shape lol I wish you made more recent content You’re videos have been very helpful on my cloth diapering journey
ooh I just love this channel :) where is the video about pockets? also have you ever tried Charlie banana? We have streamlined our stash to all of Charlie banana.. it's boring but we know they work and contour to chubby thighs and small waist the best
+Sasset Gingerelli Hi there! I actually really like the Charlie Banana diaper I have! It is way more trim than I thought they would be and I love the adjustable elastic and the fit I get on my daughter. I only have one, just because it was driving me crazy racking up a stack of microfiber inserts I didn't use (I really just use flats), so I mainly use covers for that reason, but it is definitely a good dipe. And pockets are really the one type of diaper that I don't use (okay, well aios too, for my HE washer purposes) because we've always had leaks with those. I think the way my daughter pees doesn't allow the moisture to pass through in time so it leaks out of the diaper. Fortunately, her skin isn't sensitive to wetness so Ai2/covers with flats are the way we go. I didn't make a video on pockets for that reason (though I mention Moraki, BumGenius, Kawaii, Applecheeks, and Funky Fluff.. I think I tried the CB after I made that video). Now that my daughter is walking her thighs have thinned out a bit, though they are still wayyy ahead of their time lol. Go chub!! :D
Love your channel I am looking to buy some used diapers do you have the names of the websites where I can purchase these I'm pregnant and due in May and I am considering using cloth diapers and this will be our last baby any information given would be greatly appreciated thank you
+Jennimel Castaneda Ocampo (Jen) Yes, I have bought used diapers before! Only twice were they from people I didn't know, though. Whenever I buy used I treat the diapers as if they need to be stripped - wash them multiple times first to get all the old detergent/yuckiness out, and the first load or two I'll add about 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar as a disinfectant, just in case. If you order from a stranger, it's pretty much just based on trust and you take their word that they didn't do anything harmful to their diapers that could affect the ones you already have (which is why it's definitely good to wash them separately a few times first). I tend to order from people who give very detailed descriptions of what they're selling and put it all out on the table (if there's something wrong or missing, I want to know!) They seem more trustworthy that way. Anyway, I found this video that might be helpful: ua-cam.com/video/i4Wan5RJOOU/v-deo.html
ok i just commented on your other video about maybe your wash routine needs tweaked and after listening to this I'm pretty positive you have stink issues because your wash routine. If you have hard water you should NOT be doing multiple rinses. You are depositing more minerals in your diapers which contributes to stink issues and leaks. You also should be adding calgon or borax to your wash if you have hard water. Vinegar is not ok for diapers. You should be using RLR to strip. Do a good strip with that and most importantly cut down on your rinses!!! Your stink and leaks should disappear if you do those. Also mighty bubbles doesn't have the components needed to strip. It does not get things good and clean. You're cleaning feces and pee and need the proper chemicals to remove it.
+Jessicalball Hi again! This is a "in retrospect" video from me. I have found a washing routine that works for us and have had no trouble with cloth diapering in many many months, so this is me sharing my advice on what worked for us. I never say that I have stink issues in this video. We've been stink-free for over a year. In the very beginning I had to strip multiple times- pretty much every week or every other week, which is why there are sections on stripping and avoiding stink and what worked for me in those situations. I also never mention vinegar in this video. Yes, vinegar is harmful for diapers- it can eat away at the fabrics over time, as can bleach and other additives. I mention it in a comment about buying used diapers to use as an initial cleaning additive (vinegar is an actual disinfectant) when you buy diapers from a stranger- and that is just as an extra precaution for your baby. Water softeners are great for people with really hard water, but for me they are an extra expense that isn't necessary. My water might not be as hard as some, and as I mentioned in my other comment it is only hard on occasion, so I have stayed away from the softeners and it hasn't deterred my cloth diapering success- which I attribute mostly to making the simple switch to flats! I also still do a TON of rinsing, which is important because I use more detergent to clean diapers than I normally would for my HE washer. And the mighty bubbles is just what has worked for me. As I mentioned before, RLR never worked for us so I had to try different things. My above-all favorite, however, is still boiling: though it only works on straight fabric (no PUL, elastic, snaps, velcro). In terms of having the "proper chemicals" to clean, detergents, mighty bubbles, rlr - none of these are total disinfectants like vinegar or bleach, they just get the build up out of your diapers. What works for some is different from what works for others!
Thank you for mentioning flats. I love them, so clean! I had my baby in the eighties and used double-weave cotton muslin flats, plastic pull-on covers, and pins. Hard limestone water and a top-loader washing machine. I never even heard of stripping diapers. I think I used Arm &Hammer and Cheer, or was it All? I know as soon as the companies started producing the less-dye, less-scent detergents, I used them.
I'm sure that sometimes during my diapering time, I must have had a load that smelled iffy after washing, because I have vague memories of throwing in some baking soda and giving them an extra rinse. That's how I dealt with bedding and clothing decades later, when I was helping a friend care for her mom.
I used a dry pail by necessity; I could not lift a diaper pail full of water. I did dunk and swish poopy diapers in the toilet. I'd give the dirty diapers (and burp cloths and anything thrown up on ) a presoak and spin, and then a wash. After the spin I would throw in any other laundry I wanted to add. Sometimes baby clothes and crib sheets, sometimes even my own lightweight clothes. I think my washer had an "extra rinse" setting, I know sometimes I gave it an extra rinse. Living proof that flats are great!
I love those plastic pants, too. I'd take everything out of the washer and hang the plastic pants when I threw the diapers in the dryer. I dried on low and didn't worry if one got left in for the dry.
I pocket diapered (diaper rite) my first no real problems, then my 2nd daughter leaked all the time! Bought some other brands with no luck. That is a great explanation... I have to decide whether to sell my 40 pockets before the elastic ages... I think I will because I fell in love with flats and covers.
this is the best most through video I've found! thank you so much ... now to revise my cart ;)
I love the way you talk, it has a nice rhythm and I was able to watch the whole video without getting tired of hearing you. :D Very instructional video, well done!
+melday7 I think that is the nicest comment I've ever received! Ever! Thank you so so much I'm glad you found it helpful! :D
Awesome tips!!! I love how she's playing with your hair at the end 😍 she loves her mama!
+Ellen V.S. Hahaha thanks!! I often wonder who I'd be today if I had just gotten everything right. Sane, maybe? :D
Great post, thank you! I like the wipes reccomendations at the end, and you addressed a lot of pointers that are going to help us avoid issues as we go along!
Such a helpful video! You answered so many questions that I had about cloth diapering. Thank you!
You're super easy to listen to, please keep going! Can you recommend a cloth detergent?
+Christina Juarez Thank you so, so much!! That is so nice to hear. I have every intention of keeping it up, but unfortunately it is so hard to find time now that my daughter hardly naps!! There are not enough hours in the day I swear :D Cloth diaper detergents... this was another source of torment for me lol. Right now this is my routine with my front-loading HE washer:
-2 prewashes
-long hot wash with 2 scoops of Charlie's soap, no spin
-another hot wash with no detergent, no spin (sometimes I'll throw in their hard water booster)
-an extra rinse/spin cycle at the end
I know some babies have gotten rash with Charlies, but after trying like a dozen other detergents that didn't work I made the switch and it has worked so, so well for us! For that reason though, I don't so much recommend it as just saying that that's what I use with success! :)
Hello ! Thank you so much for your videos, I love them, they are so helpfull!! I am new to cloth diapers and i am pregnant with my first baby. I did not buy anything yet and was checking reviews on UA-cam. I really liked your tips and reviews , and you convinced me to try flats and covers :) !! Now my problem is that i don't Know How many things to buy of each thing . How many size 1 cover should i need ? And How many size 2 or OS ? You recommended the Thirsties size one and the Flip , and I was wondering what do you think about the blueberry Capri cover size 1 and size 2 ? Also, I saw that the Geffen baby flats comes in 4 sizes ( xsmall to xlarge) , so I don''t really Know which sizes I need and How many of each ? Also how many jersey flats I need and How many fleece flats ? And How many Sweet irish flats (do i need them if I have the Geffen baby Ones?) I am sorry , it is a lot of questions !!! Thank very much Again for the reviews :) !!!
+Sophia Bayade First off, I love all your questions!! You remind me of myself when I was pregnant and didn't know anything (and spent like 3 straight weeks day and night doing research lol). I'm so glad you are thinking covers and flats! If you stick with that you'll never have to know the horrors of starting with diapers that are harder to clean lol. If I were doing the newborn phase all over again, this is what I would buy:
-Thirsties size 1 covers
-Flip covers
-Geffen Hemp Jersey Flats
-Sweet Iris Half Flats (Pad-fold size), and some size smalls
(1) I just checked again and the Geffen Flats still only come in one size - the Jersey Flat is smaller than the Fleece flat. Here's some links:
Jersey: geffenbaby.com/products-page/flat-diapers/hemp-jersey-flats/
Fleece: geffenbaby.com/products-page/flat-diapers/hemp-fleece-fladdle-flatswaddle/
At the newborn age, I'd skip the Geffen Fleece and just alternate the Jersey with some Sweet Iris Flats (though you could always buy one of the fleece just to try). If you only want to go with just one, I'd choose the Sweet Iris pad-fold flat, but I like having some diversity, and I still use both my Geffen Jersey and Sweet Iris half-flat every single day. As for how many of each, it's a good idea to assume 26 if you're washing every other day, though if I could do it all over again, I'd buy a few of each and see what I like first! Ultimately different people like different things and it's okay to use some disposables in that first week or two while you figure out what works for you. Plus it's better for your wallet in the long run vs buying a ton of diapers you don't like. (I wish I would have done that!) The Geffen Jerseys and Sweet Iris half-flats are great for pad-folding into an insert and laying in the cover, and the size small SI you can either pad-fold or wrap around your baby and snappi (wrapping around is great for preventing leaks and blow-out poops! There are so many different folds you can do - not gonna lie it's fun too!) You could also wrap the half-size SI around your baby and snappi, but I wouldn't recommend the Geffen for that, as some people have gotten holes apparently. Anyway, the point is there are so many different options how to use them! Also, make sure that your flats are fully prepped first or you might get leaks.
(2) As to how many covers for each, again I'd recommend maybe start with a few and make sure they work for you! And concerning the Thisties size 2: I didn't even start using that until around 10 months I think. You've definitely got time before you need any of those! lol
(3) As for the Blueberry, I never tried the newborn capri diaper. If you find yourself drawn to it, maybe get a couple of those to try too! One thing I have definitely found about Blueberry as a company though is that their products are very inconsistent. I had 16 or so newborn simplex diapers I used with my daughter and a third of them didn't really fit at all at first and we got terrible leaks, and the others were great. I had the same problem with some of their one-size covers. They are also expensive and no better than other diapers, which is why I buy and recommend other diapers over theirs, but hey, that's just my opinion and different people like different things!
I hope that answers some of your questions! Please, if you have any more just ask! :D
Thank you so much for your answer :D !!!! Thank you for all the details ! I am so happy to have found your reviews before buying lots of stuff ! I can't wait to see more of your video !
Thanks a lot and congratulation , you are amazing ! :)
Skinny waist thick thighs is not a weird shape lol
I wish you made more recent content
You’re videos have been very helpful on my cloth diapering journey
ooh I just love this channel :) where is the video about pockets? also have you ever tried Charlie banana? We have streamlined our stash to all of Charlie banana.. it's boring but we know they work and contour to chubby thighs and small waist the best
+Sasset Gingerelli Hi there! I actually really like the Charlie Banana diaper I have! It is way more trim than I thought they would be and I love the adjustable elastic and the fit I get on my daughter. I only have one, just because it was driving me crazy racking up a stack of microfiber inserts I didn't use (I really just use flats), so I mainly use covers for that reason, but it is definitely a good dipe. And pockets are really the one type of diaper that I don't use (okay, well aios too, for my HE washer purposes) because we've always had leaks with those. I think the way my daughter pees doesn't allow the moisture to pass through in time so it leaks out of the diaper. Fortunately, her skin isn't sensitive to wetness so Ai2/covers with flats are the way we go. I didn't make a video on pockets for that reason (though I mention Moraki, BumGenius, Kawaii, Applecheeks, and Funky Fluff.. I think I tried the CB after I made that video). Now that my daughter is walking her thighs have thinned out a bit, though they are still wayyy ahead of their time lol. Go chub!! :D
Love your channel I am looking to buy some used diapers do you have the names of the websites where I can purchase these I'm pregnant and due in May and I am considering using cloth diapers and this will be our last baby any information given would be greatly appreciated thank you
Not sure if you buy used diapers, but how would/do you sanitize them?
+Jennimel Castaneda Ocampo (Jen) Yes, I have bought used diapers before! Only twice were they from people I didn't know, though. Whenever I buy used I treat the diapers as if they need to be stripped - wash them multiple times first to get all the old detergent/yuckiness out, and the first load or two I'll add about 1/4-1/2 cup of vinegar as a disinfectant, just in case. If you order from a stranger, it's pretty much just based on trust and you take their word that they didn't do anything harmful to their diapers that could affect the ones you already have (which is why it's definitely good to wash them separately a few times first). I tend to order from people who give very detailed descriptions of what they're selling and put it all out on the table (if there's something wrong or missing, I want to know!) They seem more trustworthy that way. Anyway, I found this video that might be helpful:
ua-cam.com/video/i4Wan5RJOOU/v-deo.html
if your on fb go join fluff love and cd science. The best way to strip diapers is to use rlr.
ok i just commented on your other video about maybe your wash routine needs tweaked and after listening to this I'm pretty positive you have stink issues because your wash routine. If you have hard water you should NOT be doing multiple rinses. You are depositing more minerals in your diapers which contributes to stink issues and leaks. You also should be adding calgon or borax to your wash if you have hard water. Vinegar is not ok for diapers. You should be using RLR to strip. Do a good strip with that and most importantly cut down on your rinses!!! Your stink and leaks should disappear if you do those. Also mighty bubbles doesn't have the components needed to strip. It does not get things good and clean. You're cleaning feces and pee and need the proper chemicals to remove it.
+Jessicalball Hi again! This is a "in retrospect" video from me. I have found a washing routine that works for us and have had no trouble with cloth diapering in many many months, so this is me sharing my advice on what worked for us. I never say that I have stink issues in this video. We've been stink-free for over a year. In the very beginning I had to strip multiple times- pretty much every week or every other week, which is why there are sections on stripping and avoiding stink and what worked for me in those situations. I also never mention vinegar in this video. Yes, vinegar is harmful for diapers- it can eat away at the fabrics over time, as can bleach and other additives. I mention it in a comment about buying used diapers to use as an initial cleaning additive (vinegar is an actual disinfectant) when you buy diapers from a stranger- and that is just as an extra precaution for your baby. Water softeners are great for people with really hard water, but for me they are an extra expense that isn't necessary. My water might not be as hard as some, and as I mentioned in my other comment it is only hard on occasion, so I have stayed away from the softeners and it hasn't deterred my cloth diapering success- which I attribute mostly to making the simple switch to flats! I also still do a TON of rinsing, which is important because I use more detergent to clean diapers than I normally would for my HE washer. And the mighty bubbles is just what has worked for me. As I mentioned before, RLR never worked for us so I had to try different things. My above-all favorite, however, is still boiling: though it only works on straight fabric (no PUL, elastic, snaps, velcro). In terms of having the "proper chemicals" to clean, detergents, mighty bubbles, rlr - none of these are total disinfectants like vinegar or bleach, they just get the build up out of your diapers. What works for some is different from what works for others!