Microfiber. Hemp. Organic cotton. PUL. Bamboo. When I first started exploring cloth diapering, all of the choices in products were a bit overwhelming. I wanted to find the right kind of fluff for our family, so I ordered a few different kinds of diapers of several different brands. I carefully pre-washed everything according to the instructions included in the package, and began using cloth diapers on our then-four-week-old baby.At first, I was meticulous about sorting out all the various brands and types of diapering fluff after each load of laundry. The bumGenius inserts went with the bumGenius pockets, and the Knickernappies inserts went with the Knickernappies pockets. Same for the Rumparooz and Fuzzibunz. I was also pretty particular about which prefolds were for diapering, and which were for nose-wiping and spit up cleaning. I only used certain prefolds with their assigned covers, and when it came to double-stuffing for nighttime, I only used extra inserts from the appropriate brand.
I think this started to change sometime around our switch to cloth wipes. We were sitting in church, the baby spit up, and – oh no! We didn't have one of the designated burp cloths! We did have cloth wipes, though, and those worked out fine for cleaning up the mess. Huh!
Soon after that, something happened between the diaper pail and the laundry room, and I didn't have a bumGenius insert for a bumGenius diaper. I had a different microfiber insert, though…and it worked!
This is when I started going crazy. Needed an extra something for a nighttime diaper? Infant-sized prefold – BAM! Out of cloth wipes? Clean baby washcloths to the rescue! Spilled water in the car? Microfiber inserts are super-absorbent! Need a bib for that feeding of solids while out an about? I could bring a bib – or I could use a wipe. Or a prefold! Or an extra onesie!! Or daddy's gym shirt!!!
I'm not sure why I felt I needed to be so precise with how we used our fluff, but I'm glad I can be a bit more flexible now. I still am careful to keep track of how I use various cloth items for the purpose of washing and maintaining them appropriately, but I am more excited than ever for the versatility of all the fluff we've collected. Everything has its purpose, but when it comes down to it, it's all just cloth, after all!
By Rachel N.
9 comments:
This is so true! You know what the best mis-match is? gDiapers inserts in pocket diapers! They are amazing.
I got in the habit of keeping an extra cloth cover and disposable insert in the car, in case of dire emergency, and I didn't take them out after my daughter potty trained. So when she got a cold and was sneezing for miles and miles with it hanging out everywhere (lovely), I grabbed the cloth cover and wiped her nose. When she couldn't quit coughing on said phlegm and yarfed everywhere for the 3rd time? The disposable insert helped soak up a lot of the disgorged water, and helped pick up chunks, too. Try doing that with 'pampers'.
I am new to cloth diapering and I am definitely at the stage where I match everything up perfectly. And I can't imagine it any other way...at least not for now. I am a bit of an organization freak and so I don't know that I could ever mismatch stuff, but only time will tell I guess. :-)
I just recently started stuffing my BG with prefolds overnight, as I was desperate to have my son wake up with dry clothes and was willing to try anything. I am sad I hadn't tried the mismatching before, as this has really helped solve our overnight leakage issues! It's amazing what a little creativity can accomplish.
Very true! we love to mismatch around here (often by accident, though, since I am the queen of forgetting a burp cloth and having to use the spare outfit for non-clothing purposes).
Really true! I realized matching didn't matter when my reluctant-to-cloth husband mixed an insert and cover. It works, right?! :)
I've never kept them together... because I prepped them and couldn't remember what went with what, haha. But I LOVE bamboo!
I love my cloth wipes. I use them as burp rags too. DH even borrowed one once when we were out and he washed his face and there were no paper towels.
I use any insert in any diaper, depending on size, of course.
Even after 15 months of CDing I'm still pretty "this goes with that" when it comes to inserts for most of my diapers. Maybe that's also why I have all of my son's clothes in order by size, sleeve length, and then color? LoL DH sometimes puts the wrong insert with a dipe and I have no problem with that (like Amanda says, it works) but when I take them out of the dryer there is definitely a process of matching before I do anything else.
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