Never done cloth before, need suggestions

[birdinhand]

This board is so overwhelming when it comes to diapers, so I figured I would limit this to my April mamas, although anyone who comes along is welcome to share.

This will be my fourth baby, and I want to do cloth. But there are so many options! I am looking for affordability, ease of use for my older kids and dh, and efficiency as far as how long they can be used.

My babies tend to be big -- 9#8oz, 9#9oz, 8#2oz, so I don't expect a tiny guy.

I like the idea of the Green Mountain Workhorse, but I wish there was a more one-size-fits-all option?

So I don't know what to do or where to go or what to spend. I want to be cheap, because I am cheap , and I want them to work for us so I don't make the investment and then not use them .

What are you doing? What can you suggest? How can I make this easy and painless?

[qsefthuko]

ddc

For your requirements I would say do prefolds, snappies and maybe a few fitteds. The GMD prefolds you can skip every other size if you want to. So start with orange edge and then go to yellow, skip red and go to brown. Or start with yellow and then go to brown. The last is very similar to what we did for our youngest. We did the traditional sized infant prefold which is similar in size to the GMD yellow edge. Then went to premiums. He outgrew the width on those by about 4 months so we jumped to GMD green edge. We probably could have easily gone from infant to brown edge. Most could go from infant to red easier though. As for the work horse diapers. I haven't tried them myself but I have read some mamas buy the closureless and then just fold down the rise and use snappies. This way they can start using them at a lower weight.

My husband is all thumbs when diapering but was able to do a workable job of using prefolds and snappis. My 13 year old daughter did an excellent job of using snappis and prefolds.

[starbeam]

you can definitely just do prefolds - if you want REALLY cheap, just do the old infant sized up until about 6 months, then standard sized beyond that. just trifold the prefolds and lay them in a good diaper cover. chubby babies tend to fit covers better, so you're lucky on that. if you want something affordable but that still works really well, i would say go with Bummis or Thirsties covers. I like Thirsties better for use, but Bummis last a lot longer...they are super tough, and they are great covers too. Bummis super whisper wraps or super brites are great. Snaps tend to last longer than velcro on covers, but velcro is easier to use. Thirsties covers are great though, because you can do the Thirsties Duos and only have to buy two sizes (the size ones work while you're using the infant diapers - about the same amount of time, then switch to size twos with the standard diapers). The sizes are adjustable, but having two sizes makes Thirsties Duos fit WAY better when baby is really little and bigger than normal "one-size fits all" covers, which really never fit, IMO. you can get regular infant and standard sized prefolds and Thirsties Duo covers at nickisdiapers.com cheaper than you can get anything on the GMD website, but the GMD website is amazing at showing you how to use diapers...I like to buy from GMD because I use their website for the info so much and I want to repay them, basically. Also, you COULD go even cheaper than prefolds and get 2-3 dozen flats and they would fit from birth through potty training, and just go with Thirsties Duo covers. flats are a pain to fold, IMO, but a lot of people love them. You can use big receiving blankets as flats too. The 30" by 30" blankets work really well.

[canadianbakers]

From personal experience, I would get a couple of everything to try out and see what you really like using. Many cloth stores will have a "newborn sample pack" or something like that, that you can "rent" for a couple weeks or so - it would have some of everything; prefolds, fitteds, pockets, all-in-ones. That would give you a good idea what you like and want to build your stash with.
I would not buy much actual newborn stuff, but start with smalls, with babies that size. For DS2 (9lb7oz) we had all smalls and a few one-size diapers - worked great. For DS3 (8lb14oz) I had some nb and some "smaller smalls" (if you kwim), and he ended up fitting in those until 4 months - longer than I anticipated, which was great - I just really wanted the itty bitty diapers!
You could also get away with one-size diapers, though they can be kinda bulky on a newborn (but doable).
Prefolds are going to be more of a "one size" thing - fold them more or less and they fit different size babies, kwim? And those are (from what I've read/heard) the cheapest option.

[dagmomma]

If you want really cheap do flats!!!! I LOVE FLATS. They are the only true os diaper IMO.

I used them on DD when she was a nb and still using them on her now.

For my NB stash I have 24 flats and 12 AIOs--nb simplex aios. I have the itch to buy fitteds but I really do not need them. As for covers I have thirsties duo size 1 and xs thirsties and some fleece covers. The thirsties will be a little big on my nb but if you have a 8lb or 9lb baby they should be fine. If you get the thirsties duo it will last much longer.

As for flats fold I use an orgami or mini kite fold for a nb. It is the trimmest option imo.

As for when my babies are older. DD is 18 months--I use pfs and flats during the day with econobums (OS) flips (OS) and some fleece covers. For night I use BG 4.0 stuffed with an organic cotton insert (I hate micro fiber). And for out and about I use Simplex os aios. This system helps keep things easy for me and keeps me from using sposies when out and about.

For night I could always just use flats with a fleece liner and that works great too--I just like BG but it is not a necessity for us. I also like stay dry at night and out and about, otherwise we are good with no stay dry.

After my baby is done being ebf I can just lay a pf or flat right in a cover and that is so simple for anyone doing changes. I do that right out of the dryer. If I feel like baby is going to poop then I always fold and fasten a flat or pf for just in case.

I hope this helps and does not overwhelm you. Oh and I do not have WHS but seriously you can not go wrong with them imo. I want them but I also have a goal to not over complicate or get to many diapers.I try to be minimilist.

My stash for my 2 girls in diapers after the nb stage is not exactly as minimilist as it could be but looks like this

36 flats
12 yellow gmd pf
12 purple edge pfs (diaper rite)
12 red edge gmd pfs
12 green edge pfs (diaper rite)
6 bg 4.0 nights--stuffed with flip organic insert (you could use flats)
10 simplex aios out and about
16 covers (flips, econobums, fleece)--some flips are over 3 yrs old will not get more after they are not longer functional

Diaper rite pfs by diaper junction are wider then gmds and fit larger babies imo. The green edge pfs fall in the middle of red edge gmds and brown edge gmds as far as size goes and their purlple edge are larger and wider the the gmd yellows. They are also cheaper and have lower shipping or free shipping after a certain amount. To me they both are great pfs so you can not go wrong with either.

Hope that helps

[mibarra]

I adore my Grovias with stay dry hemp soakers, and bamboo Sandys with wool at night. I've heard Grovia starts fitting well around 10 lbs. But if your kiddos are bigger they may grow out of them before PLing...

[MrsCrafty]

I agree with getting a trial package, and seeing what you like.

[birdinhand]

I appreciate all the feedback, and I am trying to not be overstimulated, lol. I will check out the suggestions you have.

[mibarra]

Originally Posted by birdinhand I appreciate all the feedback, and I am trying to not be overstimulated, lol. I will check out the suggestions you have.

Really, it's so individual. I was immediately drawn to Grovias, and despite trying other things these are my one true diaper love It also depends on the build of your child.

[USNsis]

I'm planning to CD from the start with this baby. I started picking up a sample of almost everything - AIOs, AI2s, pockets, etc, but plan to do prefolds and covers from the beginning.

Flats and prefolds with a cover are definitely the cheapest option. I've been buying things little by little. Just need another dozen prefolds and I'll be good to go.

Good luck to you!