Getting started with cloth diapers sometimes seems a little confusing at first (especially if you're short on sleep!). Here’s some information to help you sort it all out. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.

How many diapers do we need?
The more often you wash diapers the fewer diapers you will need, but the more wear and tear your diapers will face and the more energy you will use to wash them. We recommend washing diapers every other day to reduce the wear and tear on your diapers and maximize the return on the energy used to clean them while still cleaning them thoroughly. Washing every other day will require about 24 diapers for newborns, 20 diapers for older babies and 18 diapers for toddlers.

Where do the diapers go after use?
We recommend using a dry pail to store the diapers until wash day (no water). A variety of containers will work for this purpose; you simply need something that will hold your maximum number of diapers. A container with a lid that lifts with a foot pedal is handy. Simply toss the diaper and wipes into the pail. A washable, waterproof pail liner can virtually eliminate the need to clean the pail.

What to do with soiled diapers?
If a baby is exclusively breast fed, solid waste can be left in the diaper as it is water soluble and will dissolve in the wash. For other babies, solids should be dumped in the toilet. We suggest using a Diaper Sprayer to clean off diapers and dispose of solids easily; some parents use disposable diaper liners instead and others simply dump or swish the diaper in the toilet. See Care for full laundering information.

What about wipes?
Cloth wipes are a great way to further benefit the environment, save money, and take gentle care of your baby’s skin. And they’re simple to use: just wet with warm water before using. Each diaper change will use 1-2 wipes. We recommend 30-40 wipes if you are washing every other day. Used wipes are tossed into the pail with the diapers.

Do we need doublers?
Our diapers offer seven layers of absorbency in the wet zone, more than enough for daytime use for all but the heaviest wetters. Newborns and young infants do not usually need extra absorbency when they sleep since they wake frequently to be fed and changed. Once your baby is sleeping for longer periods, you will likely need to add some absorbency to naptime and nighttime diapers by laying one or more doublers on top of the snap in soaker. We offer bamboo doublers and fleece-topped bamboo doublers.

Bamboo Doublers are made entirely of the same bamboo/ organic cotton blend that we use for the inside of our diapers. Some babies are sensitive to wetness and wake up when their diaper is wet (an advantage when potty learning, but not when trying to sleep through the night!), which is why we offer Fleece-Topped Bamboo Doublers. They are identical to the bamboo doublers except that they are topped with a layer of polyester micro fleece that wicks moisture away from baby. Our doublers are available in sizes small, medium and large and are sized to fit perfectly inside diapers of the same size. Smaller doublers can also be used in larger diapers to add absorbency down the road.