A few weeks ago I talked about us cautiously dipping out toes in the cloth diaper lake and figuring out how to use cloth diapers. We decided to give it a try because I won a cloth diaper.
My very first cloth diaper came from the company Holden’s Landing. Bonnie, the owner, contacted me to let me know that I won a rainbow cloth diaper (similar to this one). I mentioned to her that it would be my very first cloth diaper, and she responded that the diaper was the type that needs a cover, and that she would just send one to me along with the diaper. She also helped me figure out the best size to buy for my baby (and it turns out that with cloth diapers you need to give it some careful thought and, depending on the specific diaper you get, talk with other folks who use the diaper about how it fits).When the package arrived from Holden’s Landing, I couldn’t believe what I saw. Bonnie sent me the rainbow cloth diaper, a second diaper that had a similar look but that is designed with its inserts to be used overnight, an AI2 diaper (details on what that means later) a wool soaker and a pair of knit pants that also serve as a diaper cover. I haven’t added up the worth of these 3 diapers and 2 covers, but rest assured, this was EXTREMELY generous of Bonnie. She did it simply because she said she wanted to give me a good introduction to cloth diapering and to teach me how to use cloth diapers the right way by giving me several options.This brings me to the primary thing I have learned about cloth diapering: cloth diapering mamas are SUPPORTIVE. They will talk with you at length, make suggestions and display generosity in numerous ways. So I have to say, for that, the cloth diapering community (and Bonnie in particiular) is amazing. When you don’t have other folks around you cloth diapering, it can be really easy to give up, so it is great that you can find a community online to help you work through any difficulties you might be having.
Now onto the diapers. Holden’s Landing diapers are wonderful! They definitely give babies fluffy butts, which was something I wasn’t used to seeing. When I add an extra insert, sometimes Darah struggles to sit up without wobbling, so that’s the primary drawback I see. But the cuteness factor is out of this universe. OH MY! Also, the diapers are very soft. They make disposables seem like the scratchiest stuff out there! Bonnie makes her diapers out of organic bamboo and organic cotton. I have noticed that they don’t quite have the absorbency of her disposables, but I also have to confess that I only pre-washed them once before using them (more on that later).
If you are looking for a top of the line cloth diaper, check out Holden’s Landing. She has so many great things to offer, and she is such a genuinely nice and helpful person! Also, how can you resist this Hedgehog diaper?!
Other Cloth Diaper Tips
Here are a few more things I’ve learned about cloth diapering due to receiving these awesome diapers:
1. Cloth diapers need to be washed a few times in order for their absorbency to increase. This is particularly the case for diapers made with bamboo. I didn’t do that to start, and I think that’s why the absorbency was a little bit lacking at first.
2. Wool soakers only need to be washed once they start to get a little bit stinky. At first I thought you had to wash them every time, and I thought that was disappointing. But I was wrong!
3. Wool soakers need to be washed with a special type of soap. Bonnie also sent me a wool wash bar of soap (it isn’t really soap, but I can’t remember what it is called).
4. Unless they are AIO (All-in-one) or AI2 (all-in-two) diapers, most other cloth diapers need a cover to go over them to help prevent leaks.
5. Extra inserts are like pads that you can either lay in the diaper or, in certain diaper models, you can snap in. They are a great way to add some extra protection, but they do add some bulk!
6. If you cloth diaper, your little one is going to need bigger pants!
Stay tuned, as I’ll be bringing you news about my very first AIO diaper experience, as well as a GIVEAWAY sponsored by Hen & Chick Cloth! Tell me something interesting you have learned about your cloth diapering journey (or lack thereof!) in the comments of this post in order to gain an extra entry in the upcoming giveaway!
