Cloth Diapering a Newborn

How do you start with cloth diapering a newborn? I have no idea.

After Bubs was born, I was recovering from a c-section and chose to not use cloth right away. This time I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to use cloth right from the beginning. Maybe even in the hospital. I’m feeling hesitant about the idea though. I also haven’t mentioned it to Mr. Diaper Shop. I have a feeling that he won’t feel quite as positive about the idea as I do.

My goal when I’m talking to someone about cloth diapering is to never put pressure on them. I don’t want them to feel pressure that if they find full-time cloth diapering overwhelming that they’ve failed. Because I don’t believe that’s true. So I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself either. My ideal is to use cloth in the hospital, but if it doesn’t happen, that’s ok. Maybe I’ll start when we get home. Or maybe I’ll have another c-section and decide to wait until I’ve healed. I don’t want to feel like a failure if the first diaper my baby wears is disposable. Let’s be honest. Growing and birthing a baby is already a success.

Now that you know where I stand on that. Let me tell you what my action plan is for using cloth right from the beginning. A helpful mama gave me the tip that having a newborn stash of hook-and-loop AIO’s was a great way to use cloth during those busy and sleepless newborn days. With that in mind, I’m hoping to bring newborn AIO‘s to the hospital. Right now I’m considering bumGenius Littles and AMP AIO hook and loop in the smallest size. I’m hoping to not spend too much money on a newborn stash since I already have a large enough stash of diapers to use once baby is a bit bigger. I’m also hoping to use some diapers I already have in my stash including some sized pocket diapers, and infant prefolds that both fit at 7lbs. Bubs was 7.9 lbs at birth, so I’m assuming (read: hoping) this baby will be around the same.

BumGenius Littles AIO

AMP size Small Stay-Dry AIO, fits 6-14lbs

I’m hoping to have a minimum of 24 diapers to use on my newborn. That way I can wash every other day assuming we go through 10-12 diapers a day. I have 6 infant prefolds, and 5 small sized pocket diapers already. So I’m almost half-way there!

Do you have any tips for me and other parents looking to cloth diaper a newborn? What did you find worked for you?