Honestly, I am a little nervous to write this post…I mean I have only been using cloth diapers for a month and a half now and so many other people have been doing them for years! But then I thought more about it and I realized that when I was researching cloth diapers, sometimes I wanted thoughts from a brand new mom, because that is what I was going to be! Not an expert for whom it is second nature by now.

Anyways, here are my thoughts on cloth diapers after one month and a half months as a brand new mom.

First off, I am using mostly Nora’s Nursery pocket diapers. I think they are the best! I did try a couple other brands, like Alva baby, and an off brand through Amazon, and a few others that were very small and not known very well, and I think Nora’s nursery is the best. I know it is a little bit pricey, but they work so well. At first my baby was pretty small for the smallest setting of the diaper. So the first week we did experience quite a few leaks.

I’ve also learned that the way you put on the diaper can determine whether there will be more leaking or less leaking. You have to ensure the gussets are up against the legs without any air pockets; and you have to make sure the flaps underneath are laying flat once you button the snaps. This means all of the cloth is touching baby’s skin, not bunched up, and there shouldn’t be any gaps. This helps prevent leaks a lot although some leaks are just unpreventable. (And that is okay mamma, life happens!) The other thing I have done is I am using microfiber inserts underneath the bamboo inserts overnight. This has been a game changer! Her diapers hold so well overnight! I will mention that the microfiber inserts I am using are actually an all in one diaper insert. But I take one of the snaps and I fold it down and snap it to itself to make it shorter. I find that since it is so large, it fills in the pocket diapers so much better and that it really prevents leaks well.

The one bummer with cloth diapers that I’ve noticed, is if your baby develops a diaper rash there’s not a great diaper cream that works well with cloth diapers. So to battle that I switch back to disposables and use Desitin and Butt Paste.

Now to address one of the things, I was very worried about. The washing. Truly, you have to figure it out yourself. No amount of reading is going to help you determine what works for you. Although I will say you have to use less detergent than you expect. Over soaping your diapers, ruins them by mineral build up. Thankfully, one of my friends helped me figure it out. So my wash routine is a very cold rinse with all the diapers. Then a wash with the diapers with detergent and an extra rinse at the end. Then I dry my inserts on low. And I line dry the diaper covers. You have to line dry them long side over the line. So you’re not stretching the elastic for the gussets in the leg.

Another thing that I was very concerned about with cloth diapering was the ammonia smell. Would it be in my bathroom, or nursery, or wherever I decided to keep my diapers? To battle that, I simply rinse out every single diaper before I put it aside to wash later. If it’s a diaper that’s just wet, I still rinse it out, mainly in my bathroom sink. And then I hang them to dry in the shower. I have a handicap shower so it has a ton of different handles. So I’ll just let them air dry out on the handles and then I put them in a laundry basket to wash later.

If it’s a poopy diaper, I will use my diaper spray and my splash shield, and I will spray out all the poop. Then I will often hand wash it with Dawn dish soap. So it doesn’t stain. Then I hang in the shower to dry. I’ve noticed that this does take extra time, but it does keep my diapers from smelling bad. I also diffuse lavender oil in my bathroom if it’s not a wash day and I’m beginning to smell a little bit of urine in the bathroom.

Anyways that is my take on cloth diapering for now! It is a little extra work, but if you get into a routine it really isn’t that bad!

Comment below if you have any questions or tips for me!!