Questions & Answers

The bleached ones are not going to fall apart because they are bleached. I'm on child # 2 and I still have prefolds from my first baby :) Maybe they wont last 5 kids... but really, who needs a cloth diaper to last that long?

Unbleached diapers/liners/prefolds have a lot of oils in them. They must be washed 8-10 times to even think about getting the oils out of them. Online I have read people say 5-6 times, no wayyyyyy. They need to be washed a lot. I have had both bleached and unbleached, and I had to sell my unbleached after 3 weeks, because I was so accustom to how well bleached diapers absorbed. The pee just ran straight through the unbleached prefolds I had. I was shocked. I just accidentally bought 30 more unbleached, but they were used for 2 year by another woman, and washed 100+ times, so I am going to give them a shot... hesitantly. But I know from experience, there is just no logical reason to buy unbleached unless it's some eco-enviromental hippy thing.

Looney- is that the difference between bleached and unbleached? One absorbs better? is this just for your prefolds or all diapers? I couldn't find anything useful online to explain the difference. We just started ordering our cloths and I ordered some unbleached so far (only ordered 6). When I order the bulk of liners I will switch to bleach if there is reason too! I only read that the unbleached may last longer as the bleaching will weaken the fabric.

Thanks for all the info guys! I really appreciate it! Now I have lots of brands to look into!

For prefolds, I'd suggest looking into Green Mountain Diaper Cloth Ease prefolds for girls/newborns (there is no folding over the front) but you loose flexibility in being able to use them for a longer time or trying different folds.

For boy's I'd suggest a full length prefold like OsoCozy or Nikki's. The full length prefold allows you to play with different fold techniques, and it gives exta pee protection in the front for boys, and the extra length allows you to use each size for longer... the negative is, full length prefolds tend to be bulkier then "Smart Fit" or "Precut" prefolds.

Always go with a bleached prefold. Honestly, the unbleached are crrrrrap. Even after washing them 10+ times, they are still filled with natural oils that make them repeal pee, not absorb it. And they smell funny. A one time bleaching process isnt going to pose any health hazards, and it's worth it to have absorbant diapers that arnt grungy looking or stinky or water repellant.

I have 36 newborn prefolds, and 10 newborn/small covers. And I have 40 infant sized prefolds and about 10 medium covers. Since I toilet train my babies around 10 months, that should be all I ever need :) I also got the diaper sprayer, and 2 wet bags. And one diaper pail, with a Planetwise liner. Tide is perfectly fine to clean diapers, just use a small amount... a lot of websites say it's bad, but it's actually the most commonly used detergent to clean diapers, with All Free & Clear coming in second. I never used any special spray to get "peanut butter" poop out of cloth diapers, honestly, at that point, it just kurpluncks right out into the toilet, it doesn't really adhere or anything.

It depends on the type of cloth diaper you want to use- but yes, prefolds are the cheapest...you just have to figure out a fold that works for you! Google can be helpful in that aspect. Don't forget the diaper covers! I have 3 brands of prefolds- Dappi, Gerber, and Econobum...the Dappi are thin and cheap...as are the Gerber. I absolutely LOVE how thick the Econobum are and would recommend them. If you get the previous two (for cost purposes or as a gift) or any other thin type, be sure to invest in some doublers.

I actually would recommend trying pocket diapers...you can get inserts OR just fold prefolds into them- and best of all they can come in one size which means they will grow with your baby!! I plan on buying a few of those to go with my stash.

I have 23 prefolds

5 diaper covers (planning on ordering 3 pockets this coming payday- ibabydepot.com sells some for 5.99 a piece!)

7 Doublers (llooks like cloth wingless pads)

Good luck!

I'm a fan of Mother-ease brand. We are planning to use the One-Size with the Air Flow covers. I've used a handful of types of cloth diapers in my work in childcare. This one was the easiest, closely resembleed disposables but is much cheaper, and said to last longer than the newer fashion brands out there.

Prefolds (large rectangle of fabric to fold, are cheapest and easy enough to use, but motherease are husband approved and they are "bomb-proof" meaning few if any leaks. Keep in mind that the all-in-ones (with cover and liner attached) can take a lot longer to dry and cost more. With prefolds and mother-ease you can buy fewer covers and reuse them 3-4+ times in a day and only change out the inside.

It is strongly recommended that you use tide or ivory snow detergents. Often the kinds made "for cloth diapers" are not good enough to clean them. Do a lot of research here, as the wrong detergent can make for smelly, dirty diapers!

I am planning on cloth diapering too! Not only is it better for the environment, it saves money and is good for baby. I am still at a loss as to which brand to buy, because as they say "Everyone is different" but this is what I have found so far:

20-30 diapers
about 25 inserts
Diaper-safe detergent
2 large, vented wet bags (or a trash can ONLY used for the diapers) large enough for 2 days
2 travel size wet bags for diaper bag
6 or so covers
A certain spray that will take out the "peanut butter" looking poop when they get a little older (didn't write the name down dangit).
I also found a diaper sprayer that hooks to the water in the back of the toilet so there will be no "dunking".

Hope this helps!