Welcome back to the Cloth Diapering Expert Series! In this final installment, I will explain to you which diapering accessories you need for your cloth diapering adventure.
Diapers + Accessories: What you need and what you don't!
Some items are must-haves and others are just joys to have!
Must Haves:
Sufficient quantity of cloth diapers
Your newborn will likely need about 10 diaper changes per day. This will decrease as they grow older and begin to hold their bladder. You will want 20 cloth diapers per child in each size to make sure you have enough on hand to run full loads of laundry. You should not have more than 36 cloth diapers or you will delay washing your diapers too long and this can cause them to retain their soiled smell.
You will want 6-12 boosters for additional absorbency during nights and naps. Simply lay them in the diaper to increase absorbency.
If you have a front-loading washing machine, we recommend a breathable mesh bag in your diaper pail. You can then toss your used diapers from your pail directly into your machine without handling them. You will want 2 bags, one in the wash and one in the pail.
If you have a top-loading washing machine, simply dump diapers into the washing machine. A mesh bag for the pail isn't necessary but is convenient to have.
Must haves for parents who are worried about cleaning poopy diapers. Simply spray off soiled diapers in the toilet using a diaper sprayer or lay a flushable liner in the diaper to catch the poop. Either option works great.
Not Required, but Handy to Have:
Used to store your soiled diapers while you're away from home. You could use a plastic bag instead.
An alternative to using disposable wipes, simply wet them with warm water and toss in your diaper pail and wash with your diapers. You will want three per diaper change.
An alternative to using disposable swim diapers. Swim diapers contain every poop, even the newborn liquid ones and will allow the urine to pass through. There's no absorbency needed as this would absorb the pool water.
If you plan to breastfeed, consider using reusable nursing pads. Mother-ease nursing pads are contoured, large in diameter and very discrete. They are very durable and available in three fabric styles; Bamboo, Organic Cotton and Stay Dry. Regardless which you select, each has a breathable moisture resistant layer which prevents embarrassing leakage while allowing sensitive breast tissue to breathe.
That's It!
You are now your very own cloth diapering expert! You have learned what makes cloth diapering beneficial over disposable diapering, how a cloth diaper actually works and why each component is important, which cloth diapering style and fit is best for you, how to properly launder and care for your cloth and what accessories will be handy for your daily routine! You can now see that cloth diapering is not as hard as it's been made out to be!
Feel free to share our Expert Series with anyone considering cloth. Together, with the proper information, we can make a cloth diaper lover out of anyone!
If you still have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our team of experts. A member of the Mother-ease family will happily help you!
We hope you've enjoyed learning about cloth diapers in our Expert series and begin to love cloth as much as we do!