So like I mentioned in this post about the things I would change the next time I had a baby, cloth diapering was definitely on the list.

I have almost everything I need for the second baby minus the crib, as I don’t plan to go the crib route but the co-sleeping and bed-sharing route from day one. What I don’t have are cloth diapers and I am doing a lot of research to get all the information and make the best purchases possible.

Cloth diapering is difficult. Not because of the work it involves but because if the number of choices out there. It takes a lot of trial and error to get a fit and brand and system that works for you and your baby.

My personal reasons for wanting to cloth diaper are:

• Disposable diapers are absolutely the worst damage you can do to the environment. It’s waste that just does not go away. (I saw a really cool info graphic on this one that I am trying hard to find. If I do I’ll update it on this post.)
• Cloth is much better and healthier for baby on the whole. Disposables are convenient for mom.
• I believe baby gets out of diapers a lot faster. It’s true in the case of my first son. The reason being the baby in 24/7 disposables loses the sensation of passing stool or peeing and gets de-sensitized to the whole process. Therefore while potty training you need to re-teach a very natural process to the child.
• This time I plan to practice elimination communication from the 3^rd or 4^th month itself.
• I am a stay at home mom and I have help. Totally respect the moms who are doing everything themselves and can’t fathom fitting this in. However modern cloth diapering systems have changed and once you get a process or routine in place it’s far easier than it sounds.

There are tons of cloth diapering online stores in India. I received an email from one called www.smartbaby.in They keep this brand called bum genius and flip which are diapers I will definitely be trying out based on reviews. For newborns however the all in ones don’t work and I will update a separate post on what I plan to use for a new born.

As of now, here’s what Smart baby has to say about cloth diapering newborns:

Nowadays cloth diapers have taken over disposable ones because of the number of benefits these have to offer over the baby’s health and of course your expenditure. While these remain the same, no matter the age of the baby, there are many questions that come into play when it comes to cloth diapering a newborn. Below is a list of those FAQs on How to Cloth Diaper Newborn Babies with answers to those. We hope you find them helpful!

How many cloth diapers should I buy?

This is certainly the most common question asked, when cloth diapering for the very firsttime. Well, we would recommend to get a stash of around 30 diapers as infants require a lot of diapers, around 15 or even more in a day. You might even be doing laundry every day, but still you should have enough to last for 2 days at least. You would even use pre folds and diaper covers then I would suggest getting 8-10 of those.

Don’t cloth diapers leak?

The answer to this question might surprise many of you, but it’s a fact that cloth diapers with the modern systems do not leak. The cloth diapers have gussets around the legs to prevent leaking. However, you would require changing them more often, around every 2 hours, unlike disposables that can hold your child’s mess for more than that. And as a matter of fact, it is good as you would not want your baby being dirty for long.

What about poop stains? How do you get them clean?

When you are doing laundry regularly there is hardly any chance of getting a poop stain. If you still find some stain on the diaper, then instead of using some chemical bleach for cleaning, you must simply expose it to natural sunlight, which is a natural bleaching agent. Avoid using harsh chemical washing detergent as they can be harmful to your baby and also reduce the life span of the cloth diaper.

Are there detergents that I should use for cloth diapers?

Yes, you may find a number of detergents on the shelves that are specially designed for washing cloth diapers. Well, here too finding the best one can be a problem. You can go with a detergent that has no perfumes, fragrances or dyes. These also might come cheap and so can be appreciated.

What can I put in the wash to get rid of any urine odour?

Although the odour of the mess on diapers go away with regular washing, I may at times still remain thanks to detergent build up can be the reason for it. Try to rinse them again. You can replace washing the diapers in machine with hand washing it with your regular dish soap.

You might also like to add 2 scoops of Oxyclean or 1⁄2 cup of baking soda, in the washer while doing the laundry. Or you might even add 2 -3 spoons of white vinegar in the rinse cycle to get rid of any odour from the cloth diapers.

Stay tuned as I update on how my stash for newborn diapers is turning out.

There is a very helpful group on Facebook called Cloth Diapering India which has a lot of information and which has been a great source for me.

Thanks for reading! Are you currently cloth diapering or do you plan to? Why or why not?

Image courtesy: the humbled homemaker

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