Questions about cloth diapers

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potatoperator

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so, I recently purchased an AIO reusable from cuddlz and and I'm waiting for it to be delivered in the mean time I want to know what to expect.
1. Will it be around the same absorbency of something like an ABU space (I wouldn't think so put it looks pretty thick)
2. will it get saggy and heavy like a disposable?
3. how will I go about washing it the website says "Handwash Cold" and I don't quite understand what they mean by that, I don't plan on messing it.
4. How are they in terms of long time wearing from what I've looked at they stay wet and don't wick away the moisture as well as disposables and I'm a sucker for rash even with powder :sad:
5. Do they stay warm for longer I read somewhere that they did so

Sorry if this was a little in your face I'm kinda rushing :F

Thanks in advance for any feedback
 
1: it depends on the soaker material, looking at the cuddlz website, it seems to have a reasonable amount of absorbency, though you could always add a booster.
2:it will get heavy and saggy, but it will feel different from a disposable, the weight is more evenly distributed.
3:you put the diaper in a container of cool water and mild detergent and agitate, google how to hand-wash aio diapers.
4: the ability of a cloth diaper to wick is dependent on what the inner liner is made of, some materials wick better than others.
5:they may stay warm longer, but only because they tend to be bulky and made of similar materials to blankets.

personally, i use large towels with terry automotive washcloths as a prefold. it works well and can hold several wettings, but is extremely bulky and requires a pair of plastic pants.
 
1. No. No where's near.
2. It will get heavy and sag but it won't swell.
3. They recommend you to hand wash it in cold water, so the fabric lasts longer. I'm sure dry hanging is best as well. This will help protect from shrinking as well.
4. These have a liner in them that somewhat helps to "feel" dry. I don't think they are very effective from actually being dry. If you are prone to rashes, then you shouldn't wear as long as you would a premium disposable. They wouldn't last nearly that long anyway.
5. There's no real difference.

As far as AIO diapers go, they are more for novelty than function. They do have some function, but don't plan on replacing high quality disposables with any of these.
 
In the IC world AIOS are for lazy sick days and nothing else , the waterproof material breaks down very quickly if you use a washer and dryer , they are the biggest waste of money and all of the real diaper sites will tell you this , they absorb mostly on the level of depends nothing to right home about, yes they sag in there own way and are harder to conceal than a disposable because cloth is bulky, I would suggest for the preservation of the AIO don't wet wearing it and that way cuts down on the laundering, also do not even think of using anything petroleum or baby powder in it these will shorten the usefully life dramaticly.

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When our kids were babies, we had some AIOs in our large rotation of cloth diapers. They weren't horrible, but the others (mostly fitteds with separate covers) were better performers.

My biggest gripe with these Cuddlz AIOs and other AIOs marketed for ABDLs is that, in general, they seem like a pain. Any cloth diaper that says on the label that it requires line-drying and/or hand-washing in cold water should be passed over. Why? Well, for a very simple reason: The harder it is to care for a cloth diaper, the less you're going to use it. It's true! And that runs counter to the goal most people have when buying cloth diapers, which is to actually use them. :) If you're sitting there in your cloth diaper thinking, "I'd pee, but then I'll be standing at the sink hand-agitating for an hour, and then this diaper will be hanging on a rack for three days," then... yeah. So the lesson here really is: If you're going to make an honest effort to switch over to cloth, set yourself up with some easy-to-wash diapers. You really want something that can just go in the wash on a normal setting, and then go into the dryer on (medium or high) heat. Tumble-drying also really softens cloth diapers, so the added convenience has other perks.
 
As I wear both and have done on and off for the last 40 years I can answer this with considerable experience.

1, Absorbency depends on how much material there is in the overall garment. The cloth wicks better, you will need more cloth to compete with a gel filled disposable.

2, Initially it will not be heavy, the wicking drawing the wetness up into the rest of the garment, spreading the load if you like? But gravity will win in the end.

3, Washing has to be done with some thought. If there are 'Velcro' tabs these will curl up and become useless after a few washes if you use a machine, so hand wash. If no Velcro then a modern machine with 'delicate fabric' setting will be fine. Do not use fabric softener, it is in fact an oil, this reduces absorbency/wicking ability, if you have a tumbler dryer they will remain softer for longer and carry on being absrobent.

4, Your skin will remain wet, and the rash will come sooner rather than later.

5, They do stay warm for longer, the wetness is spread over a wider area, it is easier for your body to keep the liquid warm.

Some other thoughts.

If you use a tumble dryer then you need not worry about having wet nappies hanging around the house, a problem if you are a secret wearer.

If you purchase a cloth nappy that has the much advertised 'extra absorbent layers', they take days and days to get dry. Or cost a small fortune in the dryer, and even then the dampness can be deep in the padding.

Cloth is better if you sleep on your side, the material generally missing or very thin on the sides with disposables.

Plastic pants are a must which is obvious, but these can be uncomfortable and leak if the size is not chosen carefully, at no time should cloth be outside of the pant.

If being used in bed then choose those that advertise a higher waist. A wider crotch to cover the extra bulk is also helpful, if not wide enough the elastics pull away at the thighs and they leak. Make sure you pull the leg elastic tighter into the crevice between thigh and nappy, and up at the sides of your thighs. If not, and if you are wet. if you move into the foetal position then the leg elastics move up your thighs, this uncovers skin that has already been wet, this ends up on your bed sheets.

My take is that cloth nappies are a lot more work, and the advantages (environmental issues aside) are few, but I like the bulk and they are great at night.

T
 
I like adding the bulkiness of an AIO....but for practicality go with your regular cloth diapers and rubber pants....
 
Cloh diapers are great for long-term use if you have the facilities and the time to maintain them--washer, dryer, diaper pail, pins and plastic pants and a onesie. I use them most of the time, except when I am not at home or I am expecting a messy accident. Those times, I go for my disposables which are much more convenient, but end up being expensive in the long run. Wetness stays next to your body with cloth diapers and if you get rashes frequently you may want to avoid them. I have found the gauze ones the most absorbent and less likely to leak.
 
look up cloth diaper reviews on youtube they most likely be baby diapers but principles are pretty much the same
 
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