Cotton Diapers Service or wash them your self?

Which you choose and you just wash with bleach or? Also where can you find cotton diapers to buy?Cotton Diapers Service or wash them your self?
The different types of diapers are:





Old fashioned flat folding diapers – very big, thin squares or rectangles of flannel, gauze, etc. These have traditionally been the least expensive option. They can be folded up and placed inside a Velcro or snap closing waterproof cover. Basic and very simple!





The more high tech pre-fold diapers. These come in different qualities – look for those that have layers of 4X6X4 or 4X8X4. Birdseye diapers are not very absorbent, and it is easy to find the nicer 100% cotton pre-folds from India, Pakistan or China. These are the diapers most commonly used in diaper services, and you can be certain that diaper service quality pre-folds will stand up to lots of wear and tear, and last a long time. The unbleached cotton versions are gorgeous and more environmentally friendly. These should be used with Velcro or snap closing waterproof diaper covers. Make sure you sell this product with clear and detailed instructions from the manufacturer - otherwise you and your staff will need to be able to show your clients how to fold and place the diaper inside the cover. This is a slim and trim and very versatile system of diapering. Not rocket science to use and very affordable!





Contoured diapers. This is a diaper that is designed to fit perfectly inside a Velcro or snap closing waterproof diaper cover. It is not necessary to fold them. Make sure that the ones you sell are very absorbent and have enough layers of really thirsty fabrics, or they will not be able to do the job, as there is very minimal coverage.





Form-fitted diapers. These come in a range of fabrics and quality, and can have Velcro or snap closures. New and very absorbent fabrics make this a real premium and easy to use diapering system that will wash and wear beautifully. Look for unbleached cotton fleece, hemp and bamboo form-fitted diapers. Price can go from moderate to steep as you get into the more premium fabric choices, but they are still inexpensive compared to disposable diapers. Traditional flannel used for diapers is not always the best option these days. Over time the flannel can wear down, lose its nap, and become less absorbent. Also – too many layers of plain cotton can increase drying time enormously. Form-fitted diapers can be used with either a Velcro or snap closing diaper cover or a pull-on pant or soaker.





Waterproof diaper covers are essential to a 2 piece diapering system. They are widely available now in some exciting new fabrics – a huge improvement over the old vinyl or “plastic” pants! Make sure you sell covers with proven track records. They should be top quality, as they are the key to leak proof diapering. But be aware that even the best diaper cover will not work without an adequately absorbent diaper! And make sure to provide thorough washing information with all the covers you sell.





PUL covers are a popular type – basically a polyurethane laminate that is bonded to easy care polyester knits, poly cotton blends or even cotton knits. Generally they can be machine washed. Some covers feature a layer of fabric and lamination, some have the lamination sandwiched inside the fabric. Covers made from PUL can be sturdy and long lasting, depending on the thickness and quality of the lamination. These diaper covers should be washed and rinsed thoroughly or they can develop a detergent residue problem (which will make them stinky and ineffective). Be proactive by distributing good washing information with each sale and even by selling residue free washing products. PUL covers are generally very reasonably priced and offer great value for the money.





Coated nylon covers are also widely available. In particular this is an excellent choice for lightweight pull-on pants. Note that washing instructions will be different for nylon products.





Polar Fleece is a fabulous fabric for diaper covers, slightly more deluxe in price. It is very breathable – in fact it is often called the “poor man’s wool”, and is ideal for keeping baby comfortable! There are pull-on style polar fleece covers and Velcro and snap closing fleece covers. You can find single or double layer polar fleece covers, laminated or non-laminated covers. Laminated polar fleece may be slightly less breathable, but you won’t have any of the “compression wetness” that is sometimes associated with non-laminated products, especially when a baby sits down in a wet diaper.





Wool covers are great! They are pricey, but a beautiful deluxe fabric that is very comfortable and very effective. We don’t sell a lot of them in our own store, but we always keep them in stock for people who want to go completely natural at any cost. You can find them in pull-on style or with velcro-type closures. There are some full leg models as well, which double as wool pants. In our store we sell a recycled sweater version of these that is lovely. It is important with wool covers that you distribute washing information with them. Wool needs special care and handling, and must be washed with lanolin occasionally to retain its water repellent qualities.Cotton Diapers Service or wash them your self?
i have a similar situation. i have 2 kids, 3 %26amp; 17 months. both have used disposables their entire life. well, a couple of weeks ago, i changed to cloth diapers (but, the more hi-tech ';pocket ones';). they are super easy to clean and they have velcro closures. they were a bit expensive, $18/each. but, i figure after 4-6 months, i'll break even with disposable diaper costs. i'm also a sahm, so i have the flexibility of washing these ever 1-2 days. the particular brand i bought was bum genius because they are adjustable. anyway, good luck and i'd love to hear what you end up doing.
I prefer to wash mine myself. Also I don't use bleach as it's too harsh. I use baking soda or borax to soak the diapers on the ';rinse'; cycle or in a bucket... and I use a little more baking soda/borax when I wash them on hot, as well as a nice baby detergent (like Dreft). I don't use fabric softner as it impedes the absorbency.





As for where to buy diapers, my first suggestion is Ebay. Try looking for ';indian prefolds'; or ';chinese prefolds'; or ';diaper service quality';... And try not to use the Gerber brand of cloth diapers so temptingly displayed at Wal Mart or Target. They are not worth it as diapers, but they make great burp rags or cleaning cloths.





Personally, I make my baby's diapers from materials I find at thrift stores (big flannel sheets, old raggedy towels), which is much cheaper for me. You can find patterns all over the web, I drew mine up myself though.








Edit to Add:





I saw the details you added, and with 5 kids, I might consider a diaper service just for the sake of your convenience. I am cloth-diapering my one and only child, and I'm a SAHM so... making and washing my own diapers is just more or less what I'm ';expected'; to do... I never really looked into a service. But you might benefit from that!! Fresh clean dipes delivered to your door... Soiled ones wisked away to be clean... If there is one in your area, look into it for sure!!





And good luck, it's really not as hard as non-cloth users make it out to be (imagine that)... ;)
I agree with HappyCake about 98%. I still disagree with using a diaper service.





Reason is, you don't know what kind of chemicals are used to clean the diapers and how much of that is left in the diapers that could irritate your baby's skin.





When my oldest was in diapers I tried a service for a few months and all during that time he had diaper rashes, when I bought my own diapers and did the laundry myself, the rashes went away and never came back. I find the same holds true for disposables.





I'm incontinent and have worn both for a time and with the disposables I always had rashes but with cloth I don't. I always wear cloth now and that is just one of the main reasons.





Anyway, I'm glad for your choice of cloth, but buy the and do them yourself, no bleach, no fabric softener.





Good luck.
Most larger communities have cloth diaper services, and I *highly* recommend them over doing it yourself! The cost of the service is comparable to buying disposables, cloth diapers are far better for your baby than disposables, and they get the diapers cleaner and more sterile than you can in your own washer. They use soap that is so powerful it would destroy your washing machine seals, and double-rinse them in water that is much hotter than your home water heater can supply.





If you still wish to do it yourself, you can buy cloth diapers from any diaper service. They can also recommend the best process for washing them at home.
It is easier to have the service pick up the diapers and wash them, fold them and then drop them off for you. But it is cheaper and more inconvenient for you to do it yourself.
If you use a service, how can be sure it is actually your own items that are being returned to you? Surely it is simpler and cheapeer to wash them yourself. You don't tell us why you are against disposable diapers
It is safer to send them to a service because you might use to much stuff or stuff that the baby is allergic to, and the service knows just what stuff is right that is their business.Look in your directory for a service in your area.
Pampers...
You can get cotton diapers at toys-r-us. However, Don't buy to many, because in 2 to 3 weeks reality is going to kick in, and the huggies are going to be calling your name. No matter how ';green'; you are, the angel on your other shoulder, is going to be fighting for your sanity. Whatever happens, good luck and enjoy your new baby!!


Peace, Ukiah