Need advice- new to cloths

[SheilaJoy]

granitesmiths is not shut down. They continued the biz after the original seller passed away. I just got some super soft prefolds from them a few days ago.

[negrapy]

Originally Posted by raceNzanesmom I say IF you can afford a service use it, at least for a little while, while you get used to have triplets. Make sure the service has small enough prefolds. Your babes will probably swim in infant size at first. Make sure to get small enough covers and have $$ put aside in case you need preemie ones. I'd say just about any XS/newborn cover would work. Proraps are nice because they have the cord dip. Bumkins and Bummis SWW work nice to just fold the diaper in the cover and close. They have cute prints too. I think Bumpy are ok, but they run a bit big. There's Mother Ease, Litewraps, pull on covers like Bumkins Pull Ons, Bummis Whisper Pants, Dappi. Plus there's TONS of WAHM covers out there. I avoid cotton outers no matter how cute. Once you're settled in with the routine of three babies I'd use your $200+ to buy the prefolds you need and wash my own. BF poop doesn't need pre-rinsed, it just goes in the pail. FF poop is easily sprayed off with a Mini-Shower (best $35 my dh ever spent on me). Then just toss in the washer with a tiny bit of detergent, do a double rinse and dry. No biggie. With three in dipes I'd stick with prefolds if at all possible. They're easy to wash, dry, store, get stains off of, mke great burp cloths, changing pads, etc. You might end up wanting a better night time or outings dipe, but for everyday use I'd stick with pf. It'll save you a TON of $$$. http://www.diaperpages.com has good info on using prefolds, and cloth in general. Make sure to do plenty of practice changes before babies arrive. I used a doll and practiced with the folding and Snappi many times before my son arrived. I wasn't so nervous with my first changes and got a pretty good fit. Congratulations on your new blessings!!! What a grand adventure awaits you. And, welcome to DiaperSwappers!

and the other two things she said

But I would probably get a few nb fitteds w/ aplix too becuase if they hate changes it can make them a lot easier ... and can hold in breastmilk poo better (i think someone put pattynap basic 3/$15 the other day hummm

I didn't start until 9 lbs and still the infant prefolds were pretty big but not unmanagable. Usually triplets are pretty little so it could be a good investment to get some of the nb sized diapers, at least for leaving the house under clothes.
Proraps worked great to hold in everything for us ..... we always had blow-outs until we switched to cloth which was infant prefolds, a few fitteds and proraps

p.s. I really like little lion prefolds too

[mamagina]

WOW! As a mom of twins (my first) I want to say bless you, take all the help any one offers (seriously!!!), and HANG IN THERE!!!! Multiples are awesome, challenging and rewarding.. I love being a mother of twins, but the first year was definately one of my biggest challenges. It was a time of growth for the control freak in me, that I had to learn to let go and adjust to life as it comes. I'd spend the money you'd spend on a diaper service, wash them myself and get a maid and caterer,

But on to the cloth diapers

I used cloth on mine, but not for the first 6 weeks with the twins, so I can't really help with that first 6 weeks with multiples. I did use cloth from the start with my youngest. I used prefolds and covers exclusively. If you figure 10 diapers a day, doing wash everyother day... 30 will last 1 day.. 60 would last 2 days. I found with 3 kids in diapers, my washer could handle only 2 days of diapers. If I had more, the diapers would sit in the dryer a little longer, lol. I washed them myself, we didn't have a diaper service available, but really doing a load of diapers everyother day wasn't a big deal..

I liked prorap covers alot for the really little stage, but if you're using cloth from birth, assuming you all go home soon, you'll most likely want premie sized ones. One past the wee-little stage, I'm pretty partial to the Bummis, I love the fact that their size ranges are greater, so you wind up buying fewer covers in the long run. But both Bummis and Proraps are great.

You could use premie or infant prefolds. The premies will be a little easier to get under a premie cover, but both would work fine. I don't think most diaper services give you an option for premie diapers, but I could be wrong.

[julie123]

We are doing the diaper service because my grandmother and aunt have purchased it as a baby shower gift for 1 year for us. Definitely won’t turn down a gift that great!!! We thought about purchasing, but then I’m afraid our water/electricity bill would just be outrageous (even more than it will already be) and my grandmother insisted on a service vice purchasing because of the time.

We won’t have help with the triplets, and I’m in the Navy so many days I work 10+ hours 5-6 days a week, so I’d rather spend time with my kids than doing laundry.

I see a lot of mention of prefolds and fitted diapers, can someone tell me what those are? I imagine what we will be getting from our diaper service is just regular old diapers (ones I have seen used as spit up rags), are those the same thing?

I think maybe what we might do is not cd for the first few weeks, until they are a little bit bigger ad I can just get the newborn size. I’ll check out the sales here, I definitely don’t need brand new anything, I’m taking all the hand me downs and buying all the used stuff I can find.

Thanks to EVERYONE for the help and suggestions. I was so lost and have a much, much better idea now of what to look for!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions!


Julie

[mamagina]

Prefolds are the diapers that are rectangular and have a thicker part in the middle - those are what you'll get from a diaper service. You fold them to fit around the baby and can fasten with pins or snappi. Fitted diapers are more shaped and genrally fasten on with snaps or velcro.

I do hope you have some help. I did find that people I didn't know well at all offered to bake a meal, watch the kids long enough for me to shower.. I was hesitant to take them up since I didn't know them all that well.. but in hindsight... I should have taken everyone up.

I did work when my twins were little, too. I did 12 hour days, 3 days a week so I could spend the other 4 days with them. It was hard, but certainly do-able, I hope the Navy gives you some support, too. Where are you stationed? We'll be in VA- norfolk area next year (likely, but not certain) DH is in the Navy, too - currently on school orders and in the reserves, but we'll be active soon.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck