Bumbini Cloth Diaper Company

What follows are some common cloth diaper questions. While we don’t pretend to have all the answers we do try to have good answers! Use this as a jumping off point in your research and then dig a bit more on the internet, you’ll be amazed at how much information you can find on cloth diapers. What follows is not a substitute for medical advice, if you have a concern about your baby please consult your doctor.

I am new to cloth diapers and I don't know where to start!

• We offer lots of resources to help you decide what method of cloth diapers will work best for you. Below we've answered many common questions. We also offer free cloth diaper workshops that allow you to see and feel all types of cloth diapers and give you all the information you'll need to feel confident about starting with cloth. Just visit our Workshops page for more info on dates, etc. If you have any questions or need advice you can also email or phone us, we're happy to answer all your questions.
   

Why use cloth diapers?

• Why not! Here are just some of the advantages:
  • With cloth diapers there is soft breathable fabric next to your baby’s bottom, not airtight plastics and chemicals.
  • On average a baby will go through 5000 to 7000 diaper changes during the first two years (and most babies in disposables don’t complete potty training until the age of 3). By using cloth diapers you can save that many diapers from going to the landfill. In Canada approximately 1.7 billion disposable diapers are discarded each year, equalling 250 000 tonnes of waste. (Source: Environment Canada)
  • Cloth diapers can save you hundreds of dollars, even thousands. Not only will you spend much less using cloth, but you can also use them for your next baby and the one after that, and then turn them into rags! Or use them for one child and then sell them on an auction site, they have amazing resale value.
  • You can have fun with cloth diapers. Choose a cute color, coordinate with your baby’s outfit, find a crazy pattern. You will want to show them off!
  • Modern cloth diapers are easy to use and don’t require scary diaper pins or pails full of chemicals!
  • Cloth diapers seldom leak and the poo blowouts that come with disposables are a rarity.
  • Cloth diapering parents are a passionate bunch of people and there is a strong community of like-minded individuals for you to connect with.
  • It’s not a case of “all or nothing”. No one will call you a bad cloth diaperer if you use disposables too. Create a routine that works for your lifestyle.

 

How many cloth diapers will I need?

• This depends on how often you plan to wash your diapers and what stage your baby is at. Assuming that you will be washing them every 2 days, for the newborn stage you will need about 24 diapers (and 4 to 6 covers if using fitted or prefold diapers) as you can expect to do between 8 and 12 diaper changes per day. You don’t need to buy that many diapers to begin with; start with 12 to 15 in a few different styles and do a wash every day, so that you can decide what system works best for you.  Once your baby is about 5 months old diaper changes will decrease and then a good number would be in the region of 18 to 20 diapers (and 4 to 6 covers). If you prefer to wash the diapers every 3 days then you would have more diapers in your collection.
• Diaper covers don’t need to be washed each time they are used unless they are soiled, just air them out between uses and rotate a fresh one in at each diaper change.
• The more diapers you have the less wear and tear they will get, and the longer you will use them.

 

Which diapers are the easiest to use?

• None of the diapering systems are difficult. The style closest to disposables in terms of feel is the pocket diaper. With their fleece lining and absorbent insert the moisture is wicked away from baby’s skin into the middle of the diaper, leaving your baby feeling dry. Pocket diapers are also the quickest to dry as the insert is not attached. All-in-one diapers are another easy option as they are a one-part system - there is no stuffing required and no covers to put on. You will find though that if you go with a two-part system (e.g., prefold or fitted diapers + cover) you will quickly develop a routine and they will only take a few seconds longer to put on. Also, the stay dry feel of pocket diapers can be achieved with other systems by using a fleece liner or a stay-dry liner.

Which diapering system is the least expensive?

• There are a couple of options for keeping costs down. Using prefolds and a cover is an incredibly economical way of cloth diapering. With one-size prefolds and covers (e.g. Econobum) you can cloth diaper for under $200 and using sized prefolds and covers (e.g. Bummis) the cost of cloth diapering your baby from birth through potty training is approximately $300. Another option is to use one-size diapers (e.g. pocket diapers or all-in-one diapers) that fit from approximately 8 - 35 pounds and will see your baby from a small size through to potty training. These are very popular and make your diaper drawer very streamlined as your one early purchase will see you the whole way through. Some people who choose to use a one-size diaper like to use small prefolds + small covers in the early weeks as they give such a trim fit on newborns and have all the absorbency that a little one needs. The small prefolds also make great doublers for pocket diapers or all-in-one diapers down the road when your baby needs it. 

Which style of cloth diaper is best for newborns?

• You will be able to find newborn sizes in all of the styles of cloth diapers so go with whatever your preference is, or try a few different styles out while you get your bearings in the world of diapers. As your baby won’t be in the newborn size for long you might consider going with prefolds as a very economical option. Prefolds work well on newborns when teamed up with a cover with hook and loop (Velcro) closures. You can choose to hold the diapers closed with a Snappi or just fold them in thirds and lay them in a newborn sized cover. Even if you don’t want to use prefolds as your main diaper for your child’s diapering years, they’re great to have in your collection and are also really nice to lie your baby on for tummy time and airing out their bottom. Also, the smaller sizes make great doublers later on and handy burp cloths.

What should I use for a nighttime diaper?

• This one really comes down to personal preference. Many people choose a pocket diaper with extra inserts stuffed in and/or a doubler, or an all-in-one with a doubler. For heavy wetters a good option is to use a very absorbent fitted diaper (e.g. Bamboozle) with a doubler and a wool cover.

 

I want to use cloth part of the time and disposables part of the time. Is there a solution?

• Yes, you were exactly the person they had in mind when the makers of bumGenius diapers developed their Flip hybrid system. With Flip you purchase a one-size cover that will see you through from 8 - 35 pounds, then you choose one of three inserts to put inside: a stay-dry (polyester) insert, an organic cotton insert, or a disposable insert. You can have all three inserts at home and use them as and when you need them. Using the Flip disposables there is less waste than with traditional disposables, they're very economical, and they are plastic free.

 

What do I use with cloth wipes?

• When using cloth diapers it’s a natural progression to get away from using store bought wipes. With cloth wipes you control what goes on your baby’s skin. The simplest thing to use with the wipes is plain water, either warm from the tap in a bowl, or cool from a spray bottle. You can also buy natural wipe solutions, or there are lots of recipes for home-made solutions on the internet.

 

How should I care for my diapers?

• Care instructions provided by the manufacturers whose products we carry are available at the bottom of this page. Generally manufacturers recommend a cold rinse, followed by a hot wash with a little detergent, ending with a cold or warm rinse. A hot wash is 60 C / 140 F. It is more gentle on your diapers and the environment if you hang them to dry, but most diapers & covers can be tumble dried on low.

 

Do I need to use a special detergent for washing my diapers?

• Cloth diaper manufacturers recommend using zero-residue detergents. These are detergents without perfumes, whiteners, brighteners, softeners, etc that can coat cloth diapers and lead to problems resulting from residue build-up, including leaking and odour. Bummis has put together a really great resource, their Detergent Information sheet, that lists many detergents and says whether or not they are recommended for use with cloth diapers. 

 

What should I store my dirty diapers in?

• Many people choose to purchase a dedicated cloth diaper pail - we carry a diaper pail that has a large capacity and has space for a charcoal fitler that will absorb moisture and odors. You can easily use a garbage can or similar storage container with a secure fitting lid. Alternativey, you can choose to use a large wet bag (e.g. Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag) and hang the drawstring over a handle. You need something that is large enough to hold 25 to 30 diapers as well as inserts and doublers.  

How do I measure my baby to get the right fit of diaper?

• While some diaper manufacturers size their diapers according to weight, others give measurements, and some do both. Weight isn’t a very good indicator of the size of your baby as with two babies of the same weight you could easily find that one is long and skinny while the other is short and chubby. If the measurements are given then that is the best way for you to choose the appropriate size for your baby. You will need to take three measurements: the waist, the thighs and the rise. To measure the waist, wrap a measuring tape around your baby, over the belly button. To measure thighs find the fullest part of the thigh, not the slimmest part where the thigh joins the hip. The rise, or depth, is measured by taking a measuring tape from your baby’s belly button, down through the legs and up to the same point on the back waistline.

Can I use diaper cream with cloth diapers?

• Yes, but you should be careful of the type of cream or balm that you use and of how you use it. Creams that contain zinc oxide or fish oils leave a barrier on the diaper that could make it repel liquid and thus cause leaking. You should be very careful about using those creams and, if you do, definitely use a liner that can be washed separately from your diapers and covers - e.g. Bummis fleece liners. If you find that after using the creams your diapers are leaking you will have to consult the manufacturer’s instructions for stripping the diapers of the oil deposits.  Alternatively you may want to consider using balms; they are very effective at preventing and dealing with diaper rash, are made with natural ingredients (generally the base ingredients are things such as olive oil and beeswax) and are lighter than the creams (we carry a fantastic one made by Lalabee Bathworks) - you should still use a disposable liner with balms but that should suffice to keep your diapers protected. And a little hint, exposing your baby’s bottom as much as possible to the air is a good way to avoid and deal with diaper rash.

Are flat and prefold diapers as complicated as they look?

• No - they're easy and convenient to use! Flat diapers do require a bit of folding, but that quickly becomes a routine and only adds a minute or so to your routine. Prefolds, at their easiest, can just be folded into thirds lengthways and laid in a waterproof or woolen cover that has hook and loop fasteners so you get a secure fit, then lay baby on top and you’re finished. There are a number of folds that you can do for a closer fit and with these you can use a Snappi fastener to secure the diaper closed and use a variety of covers. You will easily find websites that walk you through the huge variety of folds, step by step and with pictures, just by doing a search on folding cloth diapers. Prefolds are so easy to use, so economical and so absorbent - and really well-loved by many people.

My baby’s diapers and/or covers are leaking. What should I do?

• First you need to determine the cause as this will lead you to the solution.  With diapers, the first thing to consider is the fit. Too loose and you have some good escape routes, too tight and the compression can act like a sponge that is squeezed, sending liquid out of the material (the same is true of the fit of the covers you are using over your diapers).
• Another consideration is if the diaper has reached maximum absorbency. Perhaps your baby is a heavy wetter or you are not changing the diaper often enough, or it is time to move to the next size.
• If the fit is good then you need to examine your washing routine. If they are new diapers, have they been washed enough times for them to reach full absorbency? Have you been using more than the recommended amount of detergent or using a detergent or fabric softener that leaves a residue? If so then you could have a build-up of detergent that is causing the leaking and you should consult your diaper manufacturer’s instructions on washing and stripping diapers. Have you used diaper creams that have left a build up on the diaper? If so, consult your manufacturer’s instructions on stripping diapers.

My baby’s diapers have a strong odour. What should I do?

• Diaper odors are typically caused by a problem in your washing routine. The most common mistake is to use either too much detergent or not enough. Review what the diaper manufacturer suggests for types of detergent to use and amounts. Also, the softness of the water in your area does have an effect on how much detergent should be used. If you live in a soft water area you may have to use less, and more detergent may be required in a hard water area.

My baby’s diapers have stains. What should I do?

• Cloth diapers rarely hold stains however certain medications may cause staining and some foods such as blueberries.  You could consider using liners so that the diaper is protected. The staining could also be caused by not using enough detergent, so review your washing routine and check what the diaper manufacturer suggests. To help whiten your diapers the easiest and most effective way is to lay them out in direct sunlight for a few hours. It is astonishing how much of an effect this can have.

 

 

Manufacturers’ Care Instructions

• Click on the logo images to view care instructions