[Submitted Question]

We have decided to use cloth diapers for our baby. We really have to count every penny so I am wondering what the minimum number of diapers that I will need is.

[WombToBloom]

I never used cloth diapers – but everything I’ve read suggests that a newborn will need about 10 to 12 new diapers a day. So, if you’re going to wash them every other day, I’d buy 24 to 36 diapers to be safe. You’ll need fewer covers, of course. And, as odd as this may sound, there are TONS of places to buy “gently used” cloth diapers to save a little bit of money too!

[Rosario]

I think cloth diapers are such a good idea. Not only are disposable diapers, which literally don't decompose for centuries, filling up the landfills, but I myself can't imagine subjecting the most previous thing in my life to being constantly wrapped in a scratchy, crinkly, plasticy thing around their softest areas. I mean, would you want to wear that? I think for a little extra work and a lot of saved money it is definitely worth the trouble if you are able to do it...

[journeybirth]

I had a dozen diapers when Caroline was a newborn and did diapers 2X a day. I think 24-36 would be ideal. Hope that helps!

[JFletcher]

Have you actually used cloth diapers? Sorry, but it is far too much problem for me. I have a 30 gallon trash bag full of them. AIOs, Pocket types, flats, covers...all because I wanted to be greener.

Well, a few months later, I had HAD it.

I love my kids. Really, I do. And disposable diapers are no more uncomfortable for a baby than cloth. Disposables wick wetness away, while cloth does not. I have fewer leaks. I also am not offsetting the trash with gallons of hot water that you need to wash cloth. Velcro on cloth diapers are scratchier than the tabs on disposablers.

As for bio-degrading, nothing in a landfill rots. You need light and air to have decompisition, anything buried in a landfill stays the same. Newspapers, garbage bags, plant based material, and yes-old cloth diapers, too.

If you're really, really concerned about diapers being a problem, go with a hybrid like the gDiaper. It's a cloth cover with a compostable/flushable insert. Cheaper than cloth, more earth friendly than either disposables OR cloth.


*edit-at the time I used cloth, I had 3!!!in diapers. Your mileage may vary :-)

[journeybirth]

Dang - 3 in diapers might have sent me running for disposables, too lol. All 3 of mine were cloth diapered - Keith from 4 months until he potty trained, Henry from birth until around 15-18 months, and Caroline from birth to now (she'll be 9 months tomorrow). I don't mind it - I'm the kind of mom who wouldn't realize we were out of diapers until she went to change the last one and didn't have any, and it would definitely be around 2am when that happened! Henry is currently in disposables b/c I could not get control of his diaper rash using cloth - he hasn't had one with disposables. But I'd rather use cloth if I had a choice - I love knowing that if I'm running out of diapers it's just a trip to the basement instead of to the store at 2am lol.

[JFletcher]

My post to you about not using any wipes with only a wet diapers seems to have went 'poof'.

With a wet diaper, just put on a clean. This will usually stop diaper rash not caused by yeast. If you really feel you have to wipe, just use water and the softest cloth possible. Same for poop, or use sensitive wipes. My children all turn red with wipes and with my first, it was so bad she bled in little spots. I cried because I thought I was keeping her so clean. Turned out all I needed was to drop the wipe routine!

[Supernova]

Wow, 3 in diapers?

My husband and I are working on using up some of the disposables that were given to us when our son was born (3 months ago).
We currently have 18 BumGenius diapers.

What other brands do you guys recommend?

[tariq456]

3 dozen are good in quantity . You can use these again and again after washing .