
Picture this: You’ve signed yourself up for a 5k, but this particular 5k is not just any marathon. It’s a cloth diapering run!
Now, to get you through this cloth diaper race, there will be several check points along the way with the tools you need to make it to the finish line.
One station has cloth diapers while others have flannel wipes, detergent, wet bags, and bottom cleaner. You must stop at each posting and pick up those necessary items for a successful journey. It’s recommended by Cotton Babies 😉
For this week’s giveaway, we want to make sure you start your cloth diapering marathon on the right foot! Get it? ONE lucky person will win an introductory cloth diaper kit, which includes a Flip Day pack, bumGenius Flannel Wipes, a bumGenius Wet Bag, bumGenius Bottom Spray and bumGenius Laundry Detergent.
You can enter the giveaway by sharing one tip that will help make for a successful cloth diaper run.
Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Eastern time, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. U.S. residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn after the close of the contest and notified via email. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability.
Comments
200 Comments
It’s important to have a large enough stash to reduce wear and tear on your diapers.
relax and go with the flow. they are only this little once. cloth diapers are such a great investment and money saver!
Using a diaper sprayer to clean and a collapsible drying rack outside as much as possible.
We are just starting, so I don’t have much advice. My only piece of advice is to make sure your significant other is willing to learn how to use them too.
Find what works for you, even if it’s not what works for your best friend, and ho with that! Don’t second guess yourself.
Try a variety of diapers so you can see what works for you and your family.
Disposable liners make cleanup a little easier!
there is NO such thing as TOO many cloth diapers! 😀
An additional small wetbag for dirty diapers on the go can also be used for wet swimsuits or soggy clothes during potty training. I have an empty one folded in the bottom of my diaper bag just in case!
I haven’t started cloth diapering yet. My little girl is due in January.
I use the diaper sprayer even though I am only breast feeding. It definitely helps keep stains away!
Stick with it. There will be times you want to throw in the towel and buy a case of disposables. Maybe just buy a small package to give yourself a break, but keep going!
We’re still newbies (my daughter is only 2 months), but my best advice is to try lots of styles and find what you like best. don’t get frustrated if one type doesn’t work for you! I thought we’d go the pocket route, but discovered instead that we LOVE flips!!
You can NEVER have too many diapers! 😉 Seriously, though, don’t waste your money oncheap diapers. Go with quality, like bumGenius! 4 years and 2 kids later and we are still going strong!
Don’t pay for cloth wipes. Use pinking shears to cut up old cotton t-shirts into 8 x 8 squares. They don’t fray, wash well, and are free!
I just started but my number one thing I have learned is trial and error is the best way to go about cloth diapering so a lot of patience is required. Especially when trying to perfect a wash routine!
Be sure to wash as often as possible! You can avoid stink issues if you wash at least every other day. And do not let any wet diapers get lost behind your hamper/wetbag for a week or more like I did. You will find a moldy diaper. 🙁 And if you need to use disposable wipes and they are sturdy ones you can wash them with your diapers and reuse them with water!
test different brands to figure out what ones you like best.
As gross as it sounds, just swish the poopy diapers. SOOOO much faster and easier than trying to scrape the poop off the diaper.
Watch youtube videos for getting a good fit!
lovely blog! Great info
I haven’t started yet, but I think trying a variety of diapers to see what works best for your family will help ensure a good CDing experience. Just because something works for your best friend, sister, or neighbor doesn’t mean it is what will work best for your LO. I also would say read up before your have your baby and don’t be shy to ask those with more experience. They have gone through the leaks and explosions. It won’t be TMI, they will understand and help.
A diaper sprayer is wonderful! But don’t buy one until you start introducing solids so that the warranty lasts the whole time you are using it. Mine sat around for a few months before I installed it and then it broke right as the warranty ended.
Don’t give up. No matter how frustrating it might be at times it’s worth it. But once you get the hang of it, it’s a cake walk. I love cloth diapers!!
A diaper sprayer will definitely help!
Make it easy on yourself. Don’t try to do too much, making more work with you. Simplify your wash routine and storage systems.
My best tip is to use flushable liners and a good wet bag when on the go.
Love having a larger stash- 40-50 diapers so that I don’t have to feel rushed on laundry day to have enough diapers. A large rotation also keeps your diapers from become worn out quickly
Try different kinds of cloth diapers before deciding on one type. Each child is different.
Just because a couple diapers fail you, don’t give up! When I started the only thing anyone talked about was Alva baby diapers so I ordered some and every single diaper leaked, every single time! I quit and finally found a few girls that told me about other types of diapers so I gave it another shot. I tried prefolds and covers, wasn’t a fan but kept trying different types. Now I am addicted and will never go back 🙂 I will also only stick to the brands I have grown to trust like cotton babies….it is completely worth the couple extra dollars.
Don’t be afraid of flats!
Use a clothesline to dry and sun out stains!
I love using disposable liners to make poop clean up fast and easy!
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Don’t think you’re a bad mom if you use disposables now and then.
Enter giveaways so you can try new diapers! 😉
flannel wipes double as good peepee teepees!
I’m preparing for cloth diapering. I’m telling myself to start slowly, and rely on my cloth diapering friends for advice and support!
the best tip I have is use a dry pail to store dirty diapers in not a wet pail
Make sure you do your research as to the best way to take care of your diapers: it will make a big difference as to how well things go.
I’d love to win! Thanks for the chance!
always take your time.. it can be trial and error which is fine!
be patient 🙂
Coconut oil is safe to use on rash with cloth diapers!!
use a diaper sprayer!
The best tip I have for successful cloth diapering is to use Rockin’ Green Hard Rock detergent if you have hard water and invest in a diaper sprayer for when your kid starts solids.
make sure your washing machine is in good shape
Diaper sprayer! Love it!
Don’t let the diapers sit too long before washing them!
Try a little of everything and ask everyone you know to share their experiences! There are many ways to successfully cloth diaper, so don’t get overwhelmed with all the conflicting advice. Find what works for you!
Buy a diaper sprayer!
If you’re pregnant and building your stash, get a few fitteds, a few pockets, a few AIO’s. That way you can try them out and see what you like best and what fits your baby. You don’t want to be stuck with too many duds.
The sun does an amazing job of bleaching out stains, and makes dipes smell SO fresh!
My tip would be don’t overbuy in one area (covers, prefolds, AIO, etc…) until you try some out. I thought I would LOVE pockets, but find I reach for my prefolds and covers way more often!
im new to cloth diapering im still trying to get a stash going!
I haven’t started yet so I have no tips, I just know that I need my husband to be supportive!
Have patience when you first start cloth diapering and try a few different cloth diaper types.
Try out a few different systems until you find the one that works for you!
Get a diaper sprayer. Also if possible get buy in from your spouse.
Have patience, you’ll eventually find the diaper/fit that works best for your little one 🙂
Get a diaper sprayer and some CJ’s butter!
Just do it 🙂 It may seem overwhelming or gross before you start, but once your try cloth you will never go back!!
Try a lot of different kinds of detergent to find one that works for you. We have really hard water so I found Rockin’ Green Hard Rock worked best for us.
Use cloth wipes too, you already have to wash diapers so might as well use wipes. We use oxyclean once a week too with our detgerent and it keeps them nice and clean.
I would say not to stress out about getting things right always. Lots of trials and errors.
Have a best friend who’s gone through it ahead of you and can answer all your stupid questions!
i haven’t started yet–my first is due in March!
Getting the wash routine with a front loader was the hardest part. Now I just saturate my diapers with a gallon of hot water right after I rinse before I do the actual wash and use the “Allergen” cycle which adds more water. I use 1/2 tbs Countrysave and it works great! Took a month to figure it out.
Slow and steady wins the race! Do not give up if you have a few leaks – or even a lot of leaks – in your first few days or if your diapers do not come clean the first time. Look at your methods, adjust your process, and keep going. After just a week or two, things will be falling into place as you get into the routine that works for you. And have fun with it! My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I get sad when I think about potty-training time. Haha!
Buy a yard of antipill fleece and make your own liners. They are great for wipes in a pinch, too!
I am not new to cloth diapers but you can never have too many supplies!! 🙂
My tip for a successful ‘run’ is don’t tempt yourself by buying disposable!
Try out different styles before buying a whole stash of one particular kind!!
Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. If you use a disposable here and there, it’s ok. Any cloth use is good!
Dive right in but know that it’s fine to use disposables as needed. And have a diaper sprayer.
Tuck one diaper away for “emergencies”. I am famous for cutting it close on diaper laundry, but I do have a small stash yet. Just keep an emergency diaper ready since you never know what may pop up.
Have a nice rotation of diapers and wetbags, so you don’t have to wait for anything to dry to change your baby. 🙂
Have more than you think you need, especially if you are starting at newborn stage!
My tip would be to not listen to the nay-sayers. Don’t let others discourage you just because it isn’t what they would do or “it’ll be too hard” or “it won’t be worth it.” Find a support group online or locally, and don’t give up just because someone tells you to.
Finding other mama’s who cloth diaper and asking questions. My local store has classes once or twice a month on the basics of cloth diapering too.
Take excellent care of your diapers.
Do your research before you start. Read how to blogs about cloth diapering, understand the different types of diapers, and either rent or buy a few different types to start so you find out what you like best for your baby. Don’t buy an entire stash before trying specific brands on your baby, because then you’ll have to start all over if you don’t like what you bought. Research detergent and your water type as well.
Use disposable liners and a diaper sprayer comes in handy.
try a variety of things until you find what works for you not everything works for everyone
Try a few different styles of diaper to start so you aren’t stuck with a ton of one thing if you don’t like it!
Never leave home without a wetbag or your LO will notice and have a poopy diaper for sure!
Get whatever cloth diaper works for you. just because a cloth diaper didn’t work for one person doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Also, start of with a couple of different types of diapers. you’ll never know what you will end up liking.
What works for another families child(ren), may not work for your little one.
Diapers fit and absorb differently for each child so don’t get overwhelmed by which system to go with 🙂
Try many kinds of cloth diapers at first before making a big investment in one brand.
We are new to cloth diapering but my advice would be just do it! It’s not as hard as it seems 😉
Do lots of research first and find the right wash routine for you
Wash routines sometimes have to change. No big deal!
Diaper sprayer and don’t give up!
Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5EtTYQJWAU&list=PL7pMUzGuyL9iDBJrJwf9TQBqhqcr9oWMb
Follow these instructions and you’ll get a good, trim, leak proof fit every time!
have patience when things don’t go perfectly and know its okay to “cheat” once in a while and use a disposable..
Coconut oil makes a great diaper rash cream!
Cloth diaper run…I feel like I am marathon washing everyday with 2 in cloth and a 3rd on the way 🙂 My best advise is to use enough detergent to get the diapers clean…I would rather do extra rinses then deal with ammonia issues and rashes!
If your a beginner like me….Buy one of each diaper your most interested in and hit up the online sales as much as possible so that you aren’t wasting money paying full price for something you don’t like. I bought a few brands and decided that Flips are for us!! Lovem!!
Try not to stress and give in to “information overload.”
Plain, pure aloe gell for bum care!
A diaper sprayer is super helpful!
My tip would be to find a friend (maybe requiring you to find a new one!) who cloth diapers! It’s so fun to be able to talk to someone about it and not be the lone “weirdo”. 😉 And for me it worked well to start off slowly. Like I put maybe two cloth diapers per day on my baby. Eventually he was “almost” exclusively cloth diapered. I took my time getting comfortable with cloth, adding outings and night time cloth diapering gradually! Some may prefer to go in 100% all at once, but this worked wonderfully for me!
I don’t have any tips for cloth diapering, as we haven’t done it yet–but this would be a great way to start! We’re saving up now to buy some. In the meantime my tip is to check to make sure you have diapers and wipes before you leave the house! We’ve been in some tricky situations when we’ve forgotten to double check that stuff!
Use cloth wipes! That way, you only need one diaper pail, and you can throw everything in the same bucket, to be washed! 🙂
Don’t get discouraged I’d one brand or type of diaper doeant work for your LO!
I don’t have any tips, because baby’s not here yet :-). But the advice I’m telling myself is: I’m going to focus on taking one day at a time, and not letting a bad day diapering ruin my cloth diaper plans.
I say go with the flow & don’t overthink things too much!
P.S. can you correct the feed link on the Rafflecopter? The one that’s there is for the old blogspot blog. 🙂
If you have a high efficiency washer that you can’t manually adjust the load size to, use the bedding setting on your washer or there might not be enough water to really get those diapers clean! We also give them an extra rinse after we wash them.
Use a liner when out & about – it will make cleaning up messes SO much easier!
Get s good wash routine in place quickly!
Once you’ve bought the diapers, invest in a diaper sprayer and a Spray Pal. It makes the life of a Cloth Diapering Momma and Daddy sooo much EASIER!
start with a variety. sell what doesnt work and get more of what does. every baby is different. every routine is different. whats perfect for one person absolutely wont work for another!
Just use cloth diaper detergent! I know it’s tempting to use the stuff you use on the rest of your laundry but Bum Genius Detetgent is made for diapers and will truly avoid any nasty problems that may pop up! Save yourself a headache.
Stay relaxed and it will all work out. Worry does not help. Even one cloth diaper helps get you started.
Always check your diaper bag for dirty diapers!!! 🙂
the acronyms on CD buying/selling/trading sites. helped me start my stash.
Be flexible and give yourself grace in using cloth: try different styles, and don’t feel ashamed to need a disposable day on occasion!
I now know I need more than one wet bag! Lol
Old t-shirts make great cloth wipes! Who doesn’t have old t-shirts laying around? Just cut them up into 6×6 inch squares. No raveling, and no need to sew.
Find another CDing mama for advice and recommendations!
If you’re already cloth diapering, cloth wipes are actually easier than disposable wipes. Everything goes right in the wetbag!
Make it fun – get colors and prints that let you smile even while cleaning up the poop.
Take the time to educate yourself on hard water, detergents, diaper creams, ect. Also invest in a diaper sprayer!
Flushable liners are the best accessory!
After the EBF poop stage pre-rinse ALL diapers to help avoid ammonia build-up.
Make sure you tell your husband (anyone living in the house who does laundry) the status of the diapers in the washer! I left to the store one day while my diapers were in a rinse cycle I came back and he thought he had been helpful and hung all of our pockets and threw the inserts and prefolds in the dryer, needless to say my dryer smelled like burnt poop! lol not fun
The sun is my favorite way to get poop stains out!!
Prepare diapers before putting them away – whether that’s stuffing 4.0’s or folding Elementals in the right place, doing it when it comes out of the laundry saves time when baby may get antsy on the changing table. It makes diaper changes very fast!
hanging diapers outside is the best way to remove stains and get them smelling fresh!
Have your partner pick out a few covers and get involved in the process – that way you’re more likely to have help with changes and laundry
It’s alright to have disposables to fall back on if needed. I’ve had to some between my hot water heater busting and my washer breaking.
don’t pressure others to do cloth diapers and don’t judge others who do things differently. 🙂
Have some disposable diapers on hand for just in case, but make sure that they still fit baby every now and then so that when you do need them for whatever reason you aren’t in a panic because baby out grew that size!
Use the a cloth diaper-friendly detergent right from the start!
Know your cloth diaper friendly diaper creams!
Take the socks & baby legs off or you’ll end up like me and have LO kick while changing and get poo on everything! Bah not fun!
I don’t know any tips yet. Little miss isn’t due until December 23rd. I am hoping to pick up some good tips before she arrives 🙂
Try to have at least 36 diapers (whether prefolds or pockets). The more diapers you have the better. More diapers means you won’t have to do diaper laundry every single evening. Wish I had known that when I first started.
Tip: Make sure you empty your diaper bag of wet/dirties when you get home! It’s a real bummer to forget dirty diapers in there until the next day…or later….
Just stick with it! Like all things, you have to get used to it and find your groove. It will get easier for sure! I hated CDing with my first, but I learned more as time passed and now I’m on my third child with cloth diapers and I honestly LOVE it. He is exclusively cloth diapered also.
Don’t wash too hot!
Since I do prefolds & covers, have one all set up for the next change.
Love your products and would love to try the Flip system
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Are your diapers smelling? Try a new routine. Is baby getting a rash? Try diapers made of different fibers. Sometimes it just takes a bit of tweaking to figure out what works for you!
Skip the detergent, that part comes later, make sure to grab the diaper, wipes, spray and wetbag!
I hope I win! Pick me!
Always get extra!!!!!! Never too many!
I would suggest starting off slow if necessary, cloth diapering doesn’t have to be all or nothing!
Make sure to have plenty of diapers and don’t give up! There’s a learning curve but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll love it!!
Don’t give up….there are always new solutions.
Get a BG diaper sprayer it is worth it!
I love CDs!
“Less is more!” …. Cloth diaper friendly detergent is great for cleaning soiled cloth diapers but not a lot is needed or it could cause a build up leading to repelling issues.
“Keep it simple!” …. A simple wash routine is all that is needed to clean those cloth diapers. Cold rinse, hot wash with detergent, then an additional cold rinse.
a stash of plactic grocery bags for when you forget your wet bag on the go
Always have extra diapers available everywhere, you never know when there is an attack.
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity!!! I love adding to my stash and winning sine would be beyond amazing since my husband and I are both unemployed and buying diapers just isn’t in the cards
Have a running partner! I couldn’t do cloth diapers without my husband’s help!
Wash diapers every other day, otherwise it can feel overwhelming if you go longer (and it’s smellier!)
Cool!
Have patience if you need to tweak your washing routine to get past leaking or repelling diapers. Don’t give up! It took me about 4 weeks to discover I needed a third rinse.
Get more wipes than you think you need. You will end up using them for sticky fingers, yucky noses, spit-up messes….everything, Must have many cloth wipes!
I’m not sure yet…my first baby is coming in the next month and then I’ll find out what works! But I’m excited to jump into cloth diapering!
Try out a variety of diapers to find out what works bestfor you!
I think patience is the most important. It’s definitely a learning curve!
Whether you cloth diaper full time or not, do what’s best for you and your family. There is no one right way to cloth diaper!
Make sure you have plenty of cloth wipes & clean-up spray! Sometimes things get messy!!! 😉
Find out what kind of water you have (soft or hard) it can make all the difference when washing!
What a great giveaway! To be successful at cloth diapering, you need the right detergent!
As I’m new to cloth diapers, I don’t have any tips. 🙂
Get into the routine of doing cloth diapers early. I think it makes it much easier to sick with it because you don’t know any better!
A pulley drying system will help with your cloth diapering as well as all other air dry items. BumGenius are my favorites-does all sizes & durable!
In order to cloth diaper successfully you have to be prepared. Sometimes they will smell and you will need to know how to strip them. Sometimes you will forget to wash them so make sure you have an extra stash for wash day. Sometimes the poop will just be plain gross! A sprayer is a must! Just remember, whether it is a financial choice, an environmental choice, or you just want to pamper your babies bottom there is a reason behind why you chose cloth!
Get started and be flexible. Remind yourself that you can do this and don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way.
Organization
My tip to make cloth diapering a successful journey would be to buy yourself a diaper sprayer AND a Spray Pal. The combination of those 2 things will help immensely when you have to deal with poopy diapers. 🙂 Haha! My daughter is now 2 yrs old, and I don’t know if I would have made it past 6 months if I didn’t have my Spray Pal. 🙂
My cloth diapering tip is to use a soft baby hair brush to scrub your diapers before washing them. Especially the pooopy ones. .
Starting our “marathon” sometime in the next couple of weeks (due date Nov 2!)
I need all the tips I can get. It’s been years since I cloth diapered!
I would only add hemp inserts that would provide extra soaking powers during the night 🙂
A smile!
oops- tip for successful cloth diaper run: remember it is not all or nothing. You can do some cloth, some disposable. It’s all about what works for YOUR family!
For us, I throw in an extra hot wash without any detergent every other week or so. This has kept my diapers ammonia free and from getting the “barnyard” smell people often talk about. I have watched friends battle stinky diapers and this seems to keep us in the clear! Oh, and cloth wipes. So necessary.
Love this giveaway! I hope I win!
My cloth diaper tip would be not to stress! I remember starting out with my first I had a lot of naysayers and I was panicked because we were on such a tight budget. I started and any issue that arised freaked me out! Now, I look back and laugh. So what that we got a few outfits wet while figuring out sizes and how to snap them right, so what that it all didn’t go perfectly. Let’s be real, disposables leak too. And they are just diapers! They catch their pee and poo, it’s not like it all needs to be perfect. I CDed my first with flips until potty training and I have CDed my twins for over a year and still going strong. I even still use some of my first born’s original diapers–now that is a money saver! 🙂
Research!
Like anything in life, you need to have patience and notbecome so ftustrated that you give up.
A successful diaper run always starts with a cute diaper from Cotton Babies!!!!!!!!
Not all diapers work for every family, so find what works for you and stick with it!
Being prepared long before baby arrives and making the process as simple as possible for yourself! Don’t do it someone else’s way- do it the way that will work for you!
Never use diaper creams without a liner.
Yay! These will go to a great cause if I win!
Fingers crossed!
Lots of patience!
Please I could really use this.
Always carry a wet bag our two in your diaper bag our purse for wet/dirty diapers and messy clothes!
I don’t know how well I would do running, but when it comes to the diaper part it wouldn’t be an issue.
I’m not sure what you mean by “cloth diaper run”… Maybe it’s just too early in the morning. lol
Have plenty! With a newborn, sometimes we’d go through 3-4 prefolds in one change! 12-20 diaper changes can turn into a lot of diapers!
Relax and have fun with cloth! It will be overwhelming at first, but once you find your own groove and wash routine it’s totally worth it! And fluffy little bums are the best!
A diaper sprayer attached to the toilet is super helpful for poopy diapers!
I don’t have any tips yet. We’re due December 16th…:)
Investing in the diaper spray is the best tip I received from a friend