It was only 3.5 years ago but to me it feels like ages.  I was browsing the message boards and websites dedicated to cloth diapers for information.  I was pregnant and set on using them for my first child.  I found out that a store existed nearby, Jillian’s Drawers, and decided to drag my hubby to touch and feel them.  The internet shouted at me that bumGenius 3.0‘s were the IT brand.  Best rated, Best performance, Best bang for the buck.  They were One Size fits most, easy on and off like a disposable with velcro closures, and economical compared to the cost of disposables.  I was sold.

Teddy in Waiting

I’ll never forget that visit to Jillian’s Drawers.  Never underestimate the importance of seeing a cloth diaper in person.  I chose to purchase a few bumGenius 3.0′s and a couple of Happy Heiny’s.  I took them home and played with them.  I adjusted a bumGenius 3.0 to the smallest rise setting and put it on a teddy bear that sat in the nursery.

I was really proud of that stash of diapers I compiled over my pregnancy, which had 24+ infant prefolds, 12+ preemie prefolds, XS Thirsties covers, 2 Happy Heiny’s, a couple of crummy WAHM diapers that didn’t work at all, and a small treasure of bumGenius 3.0′s in various colors.  I also bought 6 white BG 3.0 seconds from someone locally that were new. In time I added more diapers but those were in my stash before Fletcher was born.

Since that time 3.5 years ago I have tried at least 150 cloth diapers in every size, style, color, print, and closure imaginable.  Many I purchased and many more were sent to be reviewed.  Throughout it all I have kept a large portion of my original stash.

Sitting in my cloth diaper baskets still remain 6 white bumGenius 3.0′s that were converted to snaps 2+ years ago after the velcro gave out (see them here in a video of my stash).  I finally gave up on my first batch of purchased bumGenius Organic AIO‘s (now known as the Elemental) but those lasted me 2.5 years.

Most of you would rightly assume that I never have to buy cloth

Fletcher at 4.5 weeks

diapers.  I don’t.  If I chose to I would have 200+ cloth diapers, probably more.  Instead, I keep my stash at a manageable size.  And it is mostly made up of bumGenius 4.0′s and my old 3.0′s.  I’m not calling them the best diaper ever made, or the prettiest.  They do work great and I like the colors and prints, but there are certainly other diapers that work as well and that have nice colors too.

They just hold a special place in my world as the first cloth diaper I purchased, used, and loved.  I am somewhat of a collector at this point.  Despite having more diapers than I need I just HAD to purchase one of each new color and an Albert print.

I love a lot of other brands but the simplicity, quality, customer service and ethics, and the colors always keep me coming back to buy more.  I also find having many of the same brand is helpful for babysitters and dads.  At least they can learn to use one system reliably and master it, and not have to learn 50+ different diapers.

When I am asked about cloth diapers and prompted to give only one brand to try I usually say bumGenius.  They can be found in most diaper stores and are even in some big box stores online.

PS: If you must know where ALL of those free cloth diapers go that I receive, I send my review diapers to Giving Diapers, Giving Hope, an organization helping families start cloth diapering who otherwise could not afford to.  Every few months I send a giant box of diapers their way.  As a new way to help them get more diapers and make my life easier I have started requiring two diapers for review, one to test and one to film.  Now I can send DOUBLE the diapers their way!!!  

The trouble with adding a new member to the family, along with the adjustment period with a new baby and a toddler, is mainly: where  am I going to put all of this baby crap? I recently washed most of the baby’s new clothing and folded it (or, I should say the babysitter did it for me!) but I had no clue where it was going to go.  In my mind I am not even sure where the baby is going to be getting changed or dressed.

The plan is for the baby to sleep in bed with us at first for nights, and I will put the baby in the Hushamok hammock for naps.  And hey, if the baby really loves the hammock, I will throw him in there at night too.  It will be right next to my bed so I can get him whenever I need to nurse him .  He will need changing in the middle of the night but I won’t want to wake my son, so I am going to not only need somewhere to change him (on the bed?) I need a place to put his diapers.  I will also need a wet bag for our room.

During the day I will change the baby on the changing table in my son’s room, most likely.  Unless my older son is napping.  Then bedroom again.  I feel like a nomad of diaper changing and he isn’t even here yet.

Same goes for clothing changes, which I am sure will be frequent.  My first son had massive spit ups until he was 10 months old!  No, he did not have reflux or food/ dairy allergies.  I was just lucky I guess.  We went through gobs of outfits and burp cloths.  I feel like I need 2 wardrobes; 1 for our room and one for “playroom” bedroom.  Same for a stash of burp cloths.  ACK!

As it stands, the changing table in my older son’s room is stuffed with diapers and inserts.  I have 6 baskets, 3 full of diapers, 1 full of extra inserts and cloth wipes, 1 with the “overflow” of diapers, and one with newborn diapers and wet bags.  But I need the newborn diapers in the top basket, not the bottom one.  I have to rearrange my whole system to accommodate.  At this time my top 3 baskets are arranged, left to right: Daddy Friendly Diapers, Daddy “meh” diapers (he can use most but he doesn’t like to), and Daddy Don’t Touch (diapers I need to review or ones he sucks at putting on).  Now one needs to be Newborn Diapers. (I included my changing table tour from a few months ago)

I am also unsure where I am going to put the Mamaroo, which I am so excited to be reviewing!  Will the livingroom be good for it?  If the baby naps in it will the livingroom be too noisy or unsafe (think- toddler who likes poking eyes).  Then, should the bedroom be a good home?

None of these things were issues with my first son.  I could do whatever I pleased and I had a wonderful 9 months of nesting!  Now I don’t feel the need for any nesting.  I have no desire to wash and fold tiny baby clothes and I certainly don’t feel like rearranging furniture or drawers of clothing.  My birth kit still needs some things and I am slacking.

With Fletcher I was very excited about the “stuff” and arranging it (and of course having a new baby).  With this baby I am excited about the birth and how my son will bond with him.

As an organized person, this drives me nuts!  I need order!

Any tips on having 2 young children, 1 “bedroom,” and no storage space?!?

Instead of the usual video review, I am taking a week off.  I only have 3 diapers I am reviewing and need an extra week before I am ready to publish.

So….. since many YouTube commenters and blog readers alike have asked, I took a short video to show my most used diapers.  We are definitely a pocket family.  I still have my original bumGenius! 3.0′s that I bought while pregnant.  Those make up a large percentage of what I use daily.  They are also great for my husband who gets tired of using a different diaper each change.  That is my job!

So if you didn’t see this already on Facebook, take a look!  Expect a video on how I do my cloth wipes in the future as well.

Since we are using disposables right now, I have a very rare chance to see my entire stash, in one place.  The grand total: 37 diapers.  In truth, there are more because I have Gro Baby and G Diapers, which can be used with many inserts.  And I have some prefolds.  Here is a photo journey of my stash. 

In case you are wondering, I have not reached stash nirvana yet.

3 BG OS Organic with Velcro, 3 BG OS Organic with Snaps

5 BG OS Pockets with velcro, 5 OS BG Pockets converted to snaps

TKC OS Cubbie, TKC Medium Cubbie

Piddle Poddles OBV fitted, Goodmama Pollock fitted, Piddle Poddles AI2

8 Coolababy OS Pockets with Snaps. Some are not in use

2 Happy Heiney OS Pocket

Haute Pocket OS with Aplix

2 Blueberry OS Pocket with Snaps

3 Gro Baby Shells

2 G Diaper Shells in Medium

My Entire Stash Put Away (there are more under what you see in the baskets)

And here they are hanging in the breeze, color coded.

Here is the list:

3 Velcro BG Organic

3 Snaps BG Organic

5 Velcro BG OS Pocket

5 Converted Snaps BG OS Pockets

2 BlueBerry Snaps OS Pocket

2 TKC- OS and M Cubbies

2 Happy Heiney OS

3 G Diapers

3 Gro Baby with 8 Soakers and 3 Boosters

1 Velcro Haute Pocket OS

8 Snaps Coolababy OS Pockets

6 Chinese Prefolds- Infant Size

2 Wahmies Pail LIners

1 Natural Baby Co. Wet bag

1 Wet Happened Wet Bag (small)

1 Mommy’s Touch Wet Bag (small)

Various Extra Inserts (Cotton babies OS, Blueberry OS Hemp/ MicroFiber Combo, etc)