Are cloth diapers really meant for newborns?

22 years ago

Hello everyone! I have a question regarding cloth diapers. We have started a diaper service for Daphne (who is eight days old), but we are finding the diapers too big for her! She is only 7.5 pounds right now, and the diapers are 11 x 12.5 inches (their smallest size). I have folded them the way the company suggested (creating a "poop pocket"), but her little bottom looks HUGE! When I lay her down in them, her legs are slightly in the air. She just doesn't look comfortable to me. Since I have so many disposable newborn size diapers given to me at my baby shower, I am tempted to just finish them off before I start her in the cloth. DH disagrees with me, though.

Is it okay for the diapers to be so bulky?

-Angelique, mom to Daphne, born 1/14/02

Featured Answer

Paty

22 years ago

Hi Starbaby,

I use homeade wipes. There are ways to make them out of paper towels, but I use real washcloths. I bought about 2 dozen washcloths that I use as wipes and toss in with the dirty diapers to be washed together. There are all kinds of ways to make them, some people just use plain water. What I do is keep the washcloths in a shoebox sized plastic tub, fill it with a little water, squirt in some baby shampoo and a little baby oil, submerge the washcloths, drain the extra liquid, and set them out to use. When I do a wash or the tub becomes low I just prepare more washcloths. Very easy and economical! (Plus, I think the washcloths clean the baby's bottom a whole lot better than commercial wipes!)

Paty

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

Paty
22 years ago
We used cloth diapers from the beginning, and I agree, they are very bulky on a newborn. We alternated cloth with the newborn disposables (primarily because we had family in the house that didn't want to deal with cloth). If they are prefolds, fold the sides over so that you have one long strip, slip it under her, and fold under the front so that it lies beneath her belly button. Then place the wrap on. That's how we've always done it. You'll be surprised how fast she grows into the diapers. DD is now 12 weeks old and we're about ready for a larger size!
magdelena
22 years ago
Congratulations! :) And good for you for choosing cloth! I just wanted to invite you and Paty to the diapering your baby forum over on babycenter--if you haven't already stopped by, we'd love to see you! There are a lot of cloth diaper users over there- they are really a great bunch of ladies and I'm sure that they would be able to answer any questions you might have (and lend support, share diaper sources, or just shoot the breeze). Everybody is welcome-- hope to see you both there!

Magdelena

Here is a link that might be useful: diapering your baby forum
Related Discussions
Any cloth diaper users out there?
Q
Comments (18)
I use a top loader that does HE with my diapers - the Fisher & Paykel AquaSmart. I love the machine. I use prefolds, polyester/PUL covers, and polyester pocket diapers (I also use a wool cover but I hand-rinse and lanolize it). I use Charlie's soap and Calgon to wash the diapers (we have slightly hard water). I don't do any soaking or bleaching and rarely wash a poopy diaper anymore, just urine ones (I potty my 8 month old and have since 4 months, called elimination communication, infant pottying, etc.). Even when I get a diaper with poop, I just throw it in the washer and do my normal loads. Then again, I'm not completely satisfied with the washing process because none of the preset programs match exactly what I'm trying to do. What I want to do is a simple soak, short agitation, and rinse, all on cold with 1/2 the normal detergent. This gets out the urine and stuff without setting the stains. Then I run a hot cycle with full detergent. What I have to do with this washer, though, is run a full cold cycle with a 2 hour soak (because there's no way to shorten the soak). I usually set this going overnight because it takes so long! I love so many things about this washer, including the delay feature, but I need a shorter cold rinse cycle with maybe 1/2 hr soak. I also love how this washer can flip between HE and conventional. I wash the diapers using the conventional method, which is not too water-piggy compared to true conventional washers. I've been using the hot cycle on my pocket diapers for 8 months and the elastic is fine. I think I can contact the F&P techs to program my own cycle. Anyone have experience with this?
...See More
Things we found really helpful.
Q
Comments (14)
A really GOOD pair of baby fingernail scissors (anything sold in a bubble pack is not thin enough or sharp enough; we got the Denco brand from the cutlery-quality scissors kiosk at our full-service pharmacy.) a nursing pillow--not a rounded one, a flat one Made a HUGE difference; I had three friends who suffered through nursing, finding it hard to hold their babies up high enough to meet the breast, until I loaned them mine. Nojo doesn't make it any more; My Brest friend is the closest I've seen, though I'm skeptical about the strap around the back and think I personally would find it annoying. I think I'd like it better than the Boppy because the Boppy is rounded; I used to just lay my baby directly on the flat surface of the nursing pillow and lay my arm behind her back; I'd be afraid of the baby rolling off the Boppy. Plus the Brest Friend can be made to slope up toward the baby's head, so the head is higher than the torso, and I liked that about my nursing pillow. Baby Bjorn Had a Snugli w/ the first baby and hated it; went out and got a Baby Bjorn. Breast pump If I had it to do over, I'd have purchased a Medela Lactina for $400 or so, used it for the full year that I rented one, loaned it to friends and relatives (if I asked them for a $25 donation to help cover the costs, they'd have thought it a huge bargain), used it to feed Baby No. 2 a Preemie, then sold it used. I'd have still come out ahead. I got the Pump-in-Style for Baby No. 2, and it's pretty wimpy compared w/ the Lactina (which I loved) Here is a link that might be useful: My Brest Friend nursing pillow
...See More
Diaper Pail
Q
Comments (8)
The diaper genie type system usually works well. It probably depends a bit on local climate. To get it working as well as it will the idea is to twist off the sections securely and to twist in the diaper securely and then twist off that section securely. It should look sort of like oversized sausage links as a generalized pattern. (It seems like a big potential problem might be if there are lefties and righties doing the diaper changing and twisting in different directions inadvertently.) This one requires organization in terms of being able to get the special bag thingies and have them at the ready when refills are needed. The experienced odor is generally produced when dirty diaper contents are exposed to the room air and to people who can experience smell. A good seal is essential if there is going to be a diaper pail system of disposal. As with other odors which kind of are part of the human condition, fans and venting to the outside can help sometimes. I don't know if air purifiers help with odours but they might. Wash or wipe down the surface of the container with some bleach-containing cleanser every so often and that should help a little. If possible it might help to have the pail and changing occur in a bathroom rather than in a room where the baby or others sleep. That diaper champ thing apparently just uses regular plastic bags or re-uses ones you just might have around the house. It seems to really concentrate on the sealing part. I think there is no way to actually eliminate the odor completely so it might help to think in terms of minimizing problems. Store the pail when not in active use, somplace drafty or where there are venting fans. I like the genie, the champ seems very user-friendly and can use any bags... I don't think complete odor elimination is possible simply because infants are human beings with human bodies and all. P.S. One potential problem with the any bag system is that a lot of times there can be little holes in plastic bags (there probably can be in the diaper genie things too). It doesn't take much to, over time and with an increased number of diapers, end up causing increased odor problems.
...See More
Diaper Champ or Diaper Genie II
Q
Comments (8)
If you are breastfeeding, you will not need anything special for diaper disposal as a breastfed baby's diapers do not smell. DD uses a garbage can. I suggest that you will need a crib and a chest of drawers. A changing table is not a necessity. I used a water proof pad I would put under the baby on his bed to do a diaper change, and DD is doing the same, only she is using a disposable water proof pad for less laundry. She buys them at the drug store. It is easy to manage without the changing table. I suggest that you get lots of blankets, sheets, water proof mattress pads and newborn to 3 months onesies with feet and gowns so that you will not have to do laundry too often. You will be doing laundry enough! If you live where winters are cold, buy 6 or so baby undershirts. I like bumpers in a crib too. I like that large sponge pillow to lay the baby on for baths. They cost just a few dollars. Helps you manage their slippery bodies as you learn to bathe them. I do like those baby towels with the triangle of terrycloth at one corner to pull over their heads so you can wrap them warmly after their baths. Get some baby shampoo too and a mild bath soap. I like to make baby washcloths for baths from a little square of cotton flannel. If you have a friend or relative who sews, or you do yourself, ask for a few of them. Also buy a dozen cloth diapers to use as burp cloths. You will go through these quickly. Target sells printed cloth diapers that are cute in packages of all pinks or all blues. You could also ask your crafty friends to crochet or sew some edges on them. Get some Original Desetin for any bad diaper rashes that may develop. You want to get on a rash right away if it develops. You could also have another type of diaper rash cream to use if the rash is milder. Have some kind of wipes to take with you in your diaper bag as well as at home. Keep a receiving blanket in your diaper bag to use under the baby if you have to change him or her in a public place. Of course you want a nice stroller and a car seat. If you will be traveling, Graco's Snap and Go is great--it's a stroller and a car seat all in one. If you will breastfeed, an electric pump would be great. I never had one, but a friend gave DD hers, and it does a great job of offering the mother options. We love the Bumbo seat, which you can use with supervision once the baby can hold up its head well. DGS loves his. DD also valued her Bjorn baby carrier and would even use it around the house if she had lots to do and the baby was fussing for attention. Also great for getting around the big city with a new baby. Hope this helps. Warmest congratulations.
...See More
Kara_PA
22 years ago
We have only ever used cloth on DS, now 19 mo. We sometimes used prefolds the way Paty suggested -- folded into thirds, then doubled over in the front. We also did pin when DS was young, so we could keep the diaper below his cord. We would fold into thirds, then pull the inner corners out. That makes no sense, but I don't know how else to describe it.

Cloth will always be bulkier than disposables. Different kinds of cloth diapers and different ways of folding them will fit different babies better or worse, so it may take some experimentation. You're doing the right thing for your baby and the environment -- just keep trying!
starbaby
22 years ago
This is slightly aside from the topic. Since some of you seem to have environmental and comfort reasons for choosing cloth, I wonder if any of you also make homemade baby wipes. If so, could you tell me how? I don't have a baby yet, but I want to know these things before I do.
Kara_PA
22 years ago
We use cheap wash cloths, too. We just wet them and squeeze a little soap on them, then toss them in the pail when we're done with them. They get washed with the diapers.

I think we picked them up for 8/$3 at Ames.
Becky_M
22 years ago
I use flannel washies - just wipe-sized flannel rectangles (about 10"x11") that I serged around the edges of. I keep mine in a rubbermaid tub, moistened with water, a couple T. of mild soap (LOC, Dr. Bronner's), and about 20 drops of lavender or tea tree oli (these are antimicrobial, and keep mold from growing, even if I use a wipe-warmer on the tub.)
Mrs_M
10 years ago
Absolutely.

With newborns, your changing them constantly.. upwards of 12-15 times a day, so cloth diapers are a godsend for such early days.

As far as bulkiness goes, don't give the bulkiness so much as a second thought. I cloth diapered six, and all are alive and well today, and no worse for wear (may I add), and I double diapered and used rubber pants.

Are cloth diapers really meant for newborns?

Paty

Comments (8)

Paty

magdelena

Related Discussions

Kara_PA

starbaby

Kara_PA

Becky_M

Mrs_M

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US