Kozzy Bottoms most asked questions about cloth diapering

Cloth Diaper 101 TOP

Cloth Diaper 101

We have heard the horror stories about cloth diapering from our parents; the leaking, the boiling, the pokes and sticks from the pins, the diaper services. NO MORE!!

Welcome to Cloth Diaper 101. Here we tackle the questions, fears and concerns that we personally have faced along our cloth journey and have heard from other cloth diapering families. Cloth can be intimidating but we are here to help you make the best decisions for you, your baby and your family.

Remember you can always make an appointment to stop by and see the diapers and have any questions or concerns answered.

cloth diaper 101 collage

Cloth diapers have evolved in ease of use, performance, styles, and price from when the first nappys were introduced in 1887 here in the U.S. Cloth Diapers have evolved from the small squares that you have to fold and pin to now the fun easy to use diapers you see ccovbering babies bums worldwide.

Below are common questions we encountered along our journey of cloth.

Are they easy to use?

Because of the many different styles of closures from Hook and Loop to Snaps to the upgraded pins (Snappi) cloth diapers are just as easy to use as conventional disposable diapers. Once you decide on the type of closure that you like you simply change your baby and go. It really is as simple as disposable diapers.

$$$

This was a big factor that I had to make my husband see when we started cloth diapering. I started out buying used diapers which saved me money in the start but I wont lie, it is a large cost upfront when buying your diapers. But then when you have created your stash, thats it, your done buying diapers. No more late night run to the store because you ran out or buying the wrong size and now your stuck with diapers you cant use. You can buy diapers that last you from birth to potty training and as long as you use the correct care. You invested your money into your childs health and saved movey over time. Cloth diapers can be looked at as an investment because they can be used for multiple children even generations if taken care of properly. And cloth can be resold once you are done as well. It really is an investment.

Prefold,os,aio,hybrid.....huh?!?!

Cloth diapering is like speaking a foreign language, too bad you cant use it as school credit!! There are some terms that will help you figure what type of diaper(s) you are looking at.

·         AIO- All In One- An all-in-one diaper is the same style of a disposable diaper. They contain an outer layer of waterproof material (pul) and an inner layer of soft absorbent material that lies against baby’s skin. Inside most AIO diapers is a layer of extra material, the liner, sewn in which helps absorb the extra messes. These are great for people who are intimidated by the concept of cloth diapers because you simply put your baby on the diaper and fasten it up. Just like a disposable only they come in much cuter prints and color choices!

·         Fitted- A fitted cloth diaper is just like a conventional disposable diaper. A fitted cloth diaper has layers of material sewn to create an absorbent diaper that is worn under a diaper cover. Fitted diapers are sized and come in different material choices as well. They are a great alternative to conventional diapers.

·       Flat Fold- Flat Fold diapers are what usually come to mind when people think of cloth diapers. Flat Folds are a square of material that by using different type of fold can be pinned with the Snappi for a great affordable diaper. Flat Folds are great for newborns but must be used with a cover.

·       Pre-fold- As Flat Fold cloth diapers make people think of the diapers that you use to have to prick and pin so do Pre-Folds. Pre-Fold diapers are more commonly used as burp cloths then as diapers now. Pre-Fold diapers can be folded and pinned so that they can be used under a cover as an affordable way to diaper. They can also be “Stuffed” and inserted into Pocket Diapers as a liner substitute.

·       Pocket Diapers- These are my personal favorite style of diapers. Pocket Diapers resemble the AIO diapers but they have a pocket created so that you “stuff” them with your choice of liner. Pocket diapers come in a variety of different colors and prints and allow you to customize the absorbency of the diaper. Pocket cloth diapers are a great diaper to add to your stash.

·     OS- One Size- A one size diaper is just at the name sounds, a diaper that can be used from birth to potty training. These diapers come in either snap style or aplix (Velcro) and you can adjust the diaper to fit your child from birth to potty training. These are a great convenience and I would recommend getting one size diapers because then you don’t have to keep buying sizes as your child grows.

·    Sized- These diapers are made in different styles (pocket, fitted, covers) but instead of being one sized they are sized from micro all the way to extra large. As all manufacturers create their diapers different you should always check their personal size chart to see what size diaper you would need. Size diapers tend to have a more secure fit for some babies versus the one size diaper.

· Cover- Cloth Diaper Covers are made of waterproof material (pul) which has been sewn into a diaper pattern. This cover is then put over certain diapers to create the waterproof barrier. A new modern take on rubber pants covers can be found in a variety of styles, sizes and colors.

·    Hybrid- These are usually seen as the gDiaper or the GroBaby diaper. The hybrid is used as a fitted diaper with the convenience of the pocket diaper. They have snap in vinyl liners that you put your "stuffer" or liner into and then you can either flush the liner or you put in a new one when it becomes soiled. These diapers are usually sized so make sure to check the weight and measurements before you purchase.

Care and Washing

The care of a cloth diaper is no different than another load of laundry. And let’s face it with a newborn do you really notice the amount of laundry or an extra load or two?!?

Many people fear using cloth diapers because they are afraid of the poop. While there is no avoiding poop there are ways to make it much more bearable to have to endure because babies poop. A lot. When you baby does poop you can simply shake the poop straight into the toilet or even use a diaper sprayer to spray the diaper as clean as can be. You can either put your diaper into a diaper pail with our without a diaper pail liner.

Depending on how large your stash is and how often your child is going to the bathroom you may have to do laundry every day or every other day. Washing diapers is really very simple and once you find the routine that works for you it does become second nature. A wash will consist of three cycles; pre-rinse, wash, rinse.

·         Pre-Rinse: This just means putting your diapers into your wash and rinsing them to get all the poop and pee out. This should be done in cold water so you do not set any stains and can be a quick rinse cycle.

·         Wash- The actual wash cycle is where people tend to get intimidated. After your diapers have been rinsed you are now ready to wash. Using your wash cycle you want to make sure you are only using a small amount of detergent and something that does not have any extra additives. You will wash your diapers with a hot/cold wash cycle and make sure you fasten those tabs or you are going to have one lump of diapers when they come out!

·         Rinse- This is the final rinse cycle and is important with cloth diapers because you want to make sure that you get all the detergent from your diapers. Build up can create a wicking problem and extra funk when not rinsed. Sometimes in HE washers you do need to add a towel to make sure that enough water is being dispersed to get your diapers clean.

·         Dry- You can either line dry or put your diapers in the dryer. It has been long since speculated that putting your diapers in the dryer breaks down the waterproofing material but many of the diaper manufacturers tell you that it is safe to dry your diapers in the dryer. You can also add a dryer ball to the load of diapers to get them to dry faster.

It really does become second nature and a fast easy way to naturally diaper your baby. By using cloth diapers you are saving money and the environment and taking into consideration the health of your child.

Note: Never use bleach or any type of dryer softener products on your cloth diapers.

When you notice that your diaper is no longer being as absorbent as before you need to do a "strip" of your diapers. This simply means that soap buildup has gotten into the diaper material and the diaper is not as absorbent as before. You can do a strip of your diapers by doing a vinegar rinse. This enables all the buildup to be washed off and keep your diapers smelling fresh.

What about diaper creams?

Because of the thickness of diaper creams and the ingredients it is better if you use a liner or use a disposable diaper when your child is using diaper cream. The cream becomes smeared into the diaper and you either have to scrub it out or LOTS of washing is needed. Some creams can create such a barrier that it penetrates the inner layer and ruins the waterproofing of your diaper.

What about traveling with cloth diapers?

We all know how hard traveling is with a child let alone doing it with cloth diapers. If you are going on a short trip then you can simply have your diapers ready and stuffed in the diaper bag and then throw your soiled ones into a wetbag and then wash them when you get to your destination. Make sure to get some quarters in case you have to use the local laundry mat to wash your diapers.

Having a wetbag or even a shopping bag to keep the dirty and the clean diapers seperated will keep you from having to do an emergency laundry mat run. By having diapers pre-stuffed it will allow you to do a quick diaper change at yoru stops and by utilizing the hybrid diaper systems it makes travel much less stressful. You should expect to take at least a dozen to two diapers with you so that you have extras in case of a emergency diaper change or you cant make it to the laundry as soon as you arrive.

These are some of the basic questions that I have been asked or had when I first started cloth diapering. If there is a question you have that is not answered here PLEASE ASK!!! There are never ever dumb questions. Cloth diapering can be overwhelming and we are here to make sure you and your family have a smooth transition into the cloth diapering community.

Policies TOP

Kozzy Bottoms LLC believes in your privacy. We in no way buy, sell or trade your information. We hate having unsolicated calls as much as you do!

We use PayPal as our shopping cart and their privacy policy can be seen here. We do not store your information which is why we ask for your information each time you make a purchase with us.

If you need any further information about how we collect your information please feel free to contact us using the information found here on our conact page.

Returns

We want your shopping experience with us to be an enjoyable one. Please note that many of our items are handmade so there will be slight diffrences with the items, that is the part of being home made, but we back our Kozzy Bottom brand products. You have 15 business days from date of purchase to return your item for store credit.

Please note that while our return policy does not apply to custom orders or the individual diaper brands. Each diaper company has their own return policy and can be found on their respected website.

Appointments

We understand how sometimes you need to see or feel a product before you make your final purchase. We do take appointments for you to come by and visit us and the diapers! We would love to sit down and talk about the style and brand of diaper that works for you. To set up an appointment please contact us here

Inquiries

If you have furthur questions that are not answered here please contact us through our contact us page or please feel free to call. We return emails in a 72 hour period and phoen calls are returned in a 24 hour period.

Custom Orders

We love to work with our customers to create a item that is unique just for them. If you see something but would like a different color or style please feel free to contact us. Although we do work with you to create a custom order please know that we do not take returns on custom orders.

How to order TOP

Ordering from Kozzy Bottoms is as simple as the click of a button. You simply add your desired item to your shopping cart and check out. Everything has been listed and ready for you to shop.

If you happen to see something but would like something changed or adjusted you can email us and we will work with you to get your order completed just the way you envision it.

Please note that custom orders do take extra time to be completed. There is an additional fee for all rush orders. There is only one of me completing all orders so please be patient and take into consideration.

Our items are handmade with love and care. This means we strive to make every item the same but handmade items will have small differences, which makes them even more unique.

How long for my order? TOP

Many of our items that are on our website are ready to order and ship. Some items do come straight from the manufacturer and will determine how long it takes for your item to be shipped to you.

Our hair accessories, dryer balls, wipe cases, tutus and customized items do need time to complete. We generally complete orders and ship within five business days. Please keep in mind we are a family run business and dishes and laundry still have to be completed also :)

If we happen to find that your order will run later than the 5 days then we will contact you. Please note that all custom orders are non refundable.

Thank you for being patient with us and remember if you dont find what you are looking for let us know and we will make it for you!