Parents usually first consider cloth diapering for environmental reasons. The Women's Environmental Network in Europe provide information about the environmental impact of using disposable diapers. The Real Diaper Association reports:

• Disposable diapers are the thrid most common consumer product in landfills today.
• A disposable diaper may take up to 500 years to decompose.
• One baby in disposable diapers will contribute at least 1 ton of waste to your local landfill.

According to about disposable diapers from Consumer Reports, "You can expect to spend $ 1,500 to $ 2,000 or more on disposable diapers by the time your baby is out of them." Budget is definitely a consideration when determining how you're going to diaper your baby and what kind of cloth diapering system to purchase.

Information about diapering options we have available can be found on the products page. Information about the individual products can be found associated with that item in our boutique.

Do People Really Still Use Cloth Diapers?

More than you'd think. Many people aren't even aware that this is a viable option for them. Most new moms don't use these diapers unless they know someone who does or they were searching for more environmentally friendly products. Cloth diapering is a very different experience than it was even 10 years ago and can be nearly as easy as using disposables.

How Many Do I Need?

A newborn can easily go through twelve cloth diapers in one day so we recommend somewhere around 16-20 cloth diapers in the newborn or small. Older babies don't need quite as many changes. We suggest planning for 8 diaper changes and something for overnights.
You'll need 1 cover for every 4-6 fitted diapers. Pocket AIO and DUOs do not need a cover. If you choose reusable wipes, you'll need 30-36 total.

If your budget is especially tight, you can use prefolds which can be found at many stores and cloth diaper covers. Most people also buy a diaper pail, liner, and deodorizer.

What About Overnight Diapering

Once you'vedecided which diaper fits your baby best, you can add doublers or soakers. Depending on the kind of diaper you choose you can just put it in the diaper or some diapers have pockets for full-time absorbency customization.

Have the Diapers. How do I Start?

Pre-wash all products before using! Cotton products must be washed multiple times with hot water to reach their full absorbency. Allow to dry thoroughly before each pre-wash.

My Diapers are Leaking. Please Help.

1. The fit may be too big. It is tempting to purchase diapers a bit larger than what you need in order to get longer use out of them. But our diapers are very generously cut and if you size-up, they will not fit properly and will end up leaking.
2. Using the wrong detergent can lead to build-up and will make your diapers repel moisture. Approved detergents. Build up of fabric softeners and diaper rash ointment can cause the same problem.
3. The diapers may be worn for too long between changes. Average is a change every 2 hours. For longer times between changes add a doubler.
4. The diaper isn't absorbent enough for your baby. Use a doubler or insert at every change.
5. The waterproof lamination on your diaper needs to be resealed. An occasional full-cycle tumble in the dryer on high is actually beneficial to the waterproof layer.
6. For mothers of boys: privates need to point downward. Any other way and it will leak.

The Big POOP Question.

Bowel movements of breastfed babies are water soluble. You don't need to remove this before washing. Any firm bowel movements should be flushed.

New solutions make this task much more Mom "friendly". Now there are flushable liners and handy sprayers (I highly recommend a sprayer than can attach to your toilet.)

1. Flushable diaper liners put in the diaper allow the poop to be easily removed from the diaper. Peel the biodegradable liner out of the diaper and flush away.
2. Diaper sprayers are another fantastic solution. This attaches to the plumbing behind your toilet and allows you to spray the mess off.
3. It is easy to shake firmer stools off of the diaper into the toilet (no spray or liner required).
4. In a pinch, good old fashioned dunking will get the job done.

Will My House Smell Like a Diaper Pail?

There should not be any more odor than with disposables. Store bought or specialty organic deodorizers are available. Using baking soda occasionally can also help neutralize odors. Ensuring that the lid is closed and washing frequently will also keep the smell in check. Using a wet pail liner can also hold the odor. Adding baking soda occasionally will help neutral.

Basic washing routine:

1. Shake any solids into the toilet. A diaper sprayer can be used to spray additional waste off or an extra initial short cleaning.
2. Wash the entire load on cold with detergent. Washing once on cold water is important to remove any left not toileted from your diapers.
3. Wash the entire load again on warm or hot - use detergent.
4. Second rinse.
5. You can dry almost everything in the dryer.

If you're having problems with diapers that stink after washing:

1. Try an extra rinse. Sometimes detergent residue can cause diapers to smell.
2. Wash once with a small squirt of liquid Dawn. Rinse well.
3. If the previous solutions don't work, try 1/4 cup of bleach (non-chlorinated is best) in the warm/hot wash cycle.

What Detergent Should I use When Washing my Cloth Diapers?

Choosing the right detergent for your diapers is essential. Avoid detergents containing pure soap, enzymes, fabric whiteners, fabric brighteners, fabric softeners or anything scented. Fabric softeners in the dryer are also not recommended. To keep static down, there are some products available that are eco-friendly in their own right.

Do I Have to Sanitize the Washing Machine After Washing My Cloth Diapers?

If the diapers are clean, so is the machine.

How Do I Use Baking Soda or Vinegar When Washing My Diapers?

NO. Water, detergent, the sun and occasionally a small amount of something sanitizing like non-chlorine bleach is plenty to get your diapers clean and stain free. No other products are recommended as they can damage the diaper. All natural textiles can hang on to these additives and cause skin irritation. Synthetic textiles can hang on to the vinegar smell. If you must use an acid lime juice natually disinfects and neutralizes. Add 1Tsp to the final rinse.

Even After Diligently Following These Washing Instructions Sometimes They Are Still Smelly. How Do I Fix This?

The main reason for this smell is detergent scent or residue. Make sure you are using an extra rinse when washing your diapers and a detergent that does not contain any perfumes. A warm wash with a squirt of liquid dish detergent (or a water softener if you have it), rinsed well, does a great job removing stinky residue from diapers.
Using 1/4 cup of bleach may be occasionally necessary to kill bacteria. We prefer using OxyClean Baby. Do not use every or every other wash as it can also damage the diapers.

How Do I Tackle Stains?

The best stain remover is the sun! Wash your diapers and then lay them out wet on the lawn with the stain facing the sun. It usually only takes a few hours before the stains are gone! If some remnants of the stain still linger, rinse the load again and repeat the process.