5 Cloth Diapering Tips

As I said in my last post on cloth diapers, I never intended to cloth diaper. I thought it was weird, gross, and dumb when someone had invented a disposable diaper! That was all before using a cloth diaper. Once I used one, my mindset slowly began to change. But first, since I'm a research girl, I had to research everything I possibly could about them in order to understand and use them.

I'll often get asked now my opinion on cloth diapers, or questions on how to get into cloth diapering. I wanted to write a post of some tips that I had, or wish I had before I started.

Tip #1 Research: It seems so simple and obvious, but researching cloth diapers is a bit harder than you think. There is SO much information out there that it quickly can become overwhelming. I wanted to know things like what do all the different types of cloth diapers mean, how many should I buy, and how in the world do I wash these things?

Tip #2 Try, try, try before you buy, buy, buy: I was given this tip before I switched to cloth and I did not like it one bit. I had done my research and was convinced that I could buy one or two dozen of the brand I was sure I would use. Wrong. I am so glad I listened to others and did not do that. Instead I tried various diapers. Isn't that a waste of money you ask? Not when you have things such a Diaper Swappers in which you can try gently used cloth diapers at a fraction of the cost and then re-sell them again if they don't work for you. Some people have a problem with used diapers, but I did not. Having the option to buy and then re-sell diapers at a fraction of the cost helped me decide which diapers I wanted to build my stash with. Or else check out some of the cloth diaper packages that allow you to try cloth diapering for as little as $10!

Tip #3 It doesn't have to be all or nothing: This is a HUGE one for me! When I started out cloth diapering I was terrified to be thrust into a world that I did not understand! I also felt very pressured to use cloth diapers all the time. I mean afterall I took the plunge, now I had to stick to it correct? Not so. For one, my girls do not handle overnights in cloth. They get rashy despite any diaper we have tried, thus you will still see me at Target buying a box of disposables from time to time. Also, when I just had one in cloth, it was easy for me to use cloth in public. I'm not saying it isn't easy for me now and occassionally I still will, but with two little ones in cloth, and one who loves to poop in public multiple times, it works better right now to use a disposable. Yes, I'm guessing those of you who are die hard cloth diaper users (like I once considered myself to be) are upset with this tip. But I feel I need to give it because when you switch to cloth it can happen gradually over time, or there can be times when you use disposables with no guilt.

Tip #4 Get yourself a diaper sprayer or liners: Yes the dreaded poop. Ughh! No one likes to deal with it, but poop happens right? So go buy yourself a diaper sprayer or some liners.

Tip #5 Use cloth wipes: This one took me a little bit to make the switch, but it got to the point that I'd have a cloth diaper on one and I'd be using a disposable wipe and I'd have to find a place to throw the wipe away. Finally one day I bought some wipes and made the switch. Like Tip #2 though, don't feel as if you have to use them all the time.

Note: click on certain words in the tips and you will be taken to a link with the answer or for further information.


So there you go! I'm no expert, but if someone asked me, these would be my top 5 tips I would share.

Do you cloth diaper? Have any cloth diapering tips you want to add on? If you don't cloth diaper, do you have any questions you still want answered?