Our Cloth Diaper Experience: The Stash

It's been awhile since my last post--but I'm back!  Last week was busy but we're on vacation right now so all is well. 

I've been meaning to write a little about our experience with cloth diapering for awhile now.  I know this may not be interesting at ALL to some people, but hopefully somebody out there will appreciate this!  In all reality, these diapers have probably been our biggest money-saver to date in our married life so far.  I'll write in a separate post sometime about the cost breakdown and how much using cloth actually saves (I had to make a detailed spreadsheet to convince my husband that it was worth it--but it worked!).   Since we are using disposable diapers at my parents' house, I had a chance to snap a photo of Liam's entire stash before we left, all clean at the same time.  (For the record, they're never all clean at the same time!)

We have several different kinds of diapers, and all the ones you see pictured are either one-size (meaning they will fit from birth to potty-training), or sized to fit from about 16 pounds to potty-training.  Peeking out from under Liam's crib is a plastic bin of cloth diapers he's already outgrown.  We used extra-small and small prefolds and covers until he was about 3-4 months old.  Here's what the rest are:

1) Thirsties duo wrap diaper covers (6 total), used over prefolds (#3)

2) Snappi diaper fasteners (3 total)-used to fasten #3, instead of diaper pins

3) Bumkins and OsoCozy prefolds (18 total)-the absorbent part of the diaper.  We have two kinds because I got the Bumkins with a groupon-type deal for half off.

4) and 5)  Econobum prefolds (15 total) and covers (5 total).  I have to say, these are my favorites.  They are so easy to use because the prefold just lays inside the cover (no Snappi needed), and they are SO inexpensive!  They come in different package deals, and I'm thinking about getting another set of a dozen prefolds with 3 covers because right now I have enough to last for just over a day (I wash diapers every other day).  Plus they're easy for my husband to use.

6)  Planet wise (2 total) and bumGenius (1 total) wetbags-these are waterproof and I use them to hold dirty diapers when we're away from home.  They contain the smell really well, and can be washed with everything else.

7) BumGenius 4.0 one-size pocket diapers (7 total).  These are the easiest to use because they go on just like a disposable diaper, but are also the most expensive.  And unfortunately for us, they leak the most.  I'm not sure why, but they just don't work for Liam as much as the others.  They're very handy to have for quick changes though.

8)  Flip diaper covers (2 total) and stay-dry inserts (4 total)--these are made by the same company as Econobum and bumGenius.  I bought them really just to try them out, and I do like them a lot.  Liam usually wears one of these to bed with two inserts stuffed inside--I've found they don't wick moisture like the Thirsties covers sometimes do.

So, there you have it.  (Is anyone still reading at this point?!?)  Cloth diapers have come a long way from rubber pants and diaper pins!  I'll try to make my next post have a little more universal appeal.  :)

P.S.  My two favorite places to buy cloth diapers: Mom's Milk Boutique and Happy Baby Company (Pittsburgh's own cloth diaper shop--about 15 minutes from our house!)