A Brief Introduction to Cloth Diapering with BumGenius

I know a few of my regular blog followers are cloth diapering mamas themselves, but I still have other friends and family who have no idea how it works. So, I created this pictorial tutorial to show how modern cloth diapers work.

For a little background, when I looked into modern cloth diapers I noticed there is an endless variety. I personally wanted something that was practical, convenient, economical, and reliable. I wanted something that did not require soaking, toilet dunking, or other practices I probably would not want to do and I was certain I'd never get a husband to do either ;-) After doing a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that BumGenuis 3.0 one-size diapers were the way to go for me. They are pretty expensive individually (usually $16-18 each), however I feel the one-size are economical because they can fit a range of sizes from around 7-35 pounds (depending on the child). I found that by buying a package deal, I could get a better price on the diapers and also get all the other accessories I would need. So, I found a good deal on 18 diapers, 12 cloth wipes, a diaper sprayer, and a small wet bag (for the diaper bag to use on outings or day trips) for a great price.

So, here is Liam posing next to one of his BG diapers:
Each diaper comes with two inserts that you see here:
The smaller insert on the left can be used for newborns and also is doubled up with the thicker, adjustable one for overnight use. You can set the snaps on the larger liner to correspond with the setting you have your diaper on. I am using the middle setting on Liam right now, so I also snap the liner on the middle setting.
Next, you simply stuff the liner into the diaper. It is very important to make sure it lies flat once inside, otherwise you might have issues with leaks.
Once it is flat, you simply fold the material on the end of the diaper over to close the opening. You will also notice the little tag sticks up, and this is handy when you need to separate the diaper from the liner before washing.
The diaper is now ready to use!
Now, I get the clean diaper in position (normally, that means getting it under the baby's behind, but for some reason I didn't do that in this picture)!
When removing the dirty diaper, always make sure to put the elastic tabs down. This helps them stay in better shape longer when they are washed.
Clean diapers go on just like disposables!
Then, just like disposables, you adjust the velcro to a snug but comfortable fit.
The baby is now clean and comfortable again!
Now, you take the dirty diaper over to your pail (I'm planing to buy a small trash can with a flip top lid...not pictured here) and just separate the liner from the diaper. I simply grab the tag, pull and shake it loose or pull the other end of the diaper. I don't touch the wet liner.
I found that it is best to get some kind of laundry bag to line your trash can, that you just dump and then throw in the wash with every thing else.
While he's at this age, most of the time I do not need to do this other step. However, for any diapers with poo that has a thicker consistency, today we don't dunk our diapers into the toilet we use a sprayer. The sprayer is hooked up to the toilet like this. It was fairly easy to set up. Just be forewarned this doesn't work with all toilet designs. The sprayer can also be used in our bathroom for cleaning the toilet and the tub!
This is what it looks like in the off position. It should be in this position at all times except when in use. When it is like this, it will not spray.
To use, it must be turned on like this:
All you do is hold the diaper over the toilet and just spray it clean. The spray is powerful, and takes care of it quickly. Always spray downward, to avoid splashing all over the sides of the toilet. Always put the lid up, then just wipe off if necessary. With a little practice, this is easy. Liam doesn't have stinky poop right now, but if he did this would remove it. I would just hold my nose, flush, and would save myself trips down the stairs to run diapers outside (while fighting the cats who love to try and make a run for it anytime the door opens).

Before spraying, I found it is better to remove the liner first so it isn't soaking up all the extra water, but it doesn't really matter. The outside colored fabric of these diapers is waterproof, so you can squeeze them just holding that part and you don't have to touch the dirty part. Once this is done, you just put them in the diaper pail. I like the handy reminder to turn it off. This is important, to help prevent leaks.
Liam has six different colors, plus white. They also have two shades of pink available as well.
Here is what all three size settings look like side by side!
To clean these, I just pick up the laundry bag and dump the whole thing into the washer every other day. Our current stash requires being washed every other day, and this is also what BumGenuis recommends. I wash on the gentle cycle on cold with detergent. Then another full cycle on hot, and finally one extra rinse. They can have a shot of bleach once a month (non-chlorine is preferred). On a side note: with cloth diapers you do have to be very careful what detergent you use, as some can cause an invisible build up that effects their performance over time. There are full lists online that list popular detergents and whether or not they are suitable for cloth. You also cannot use diaper rash cream directly on them, you must use a liner. Thankfully, he does get diaper rash less in cloth.

After washing, I dry for 30 minutes on low heat in the dryer and removed the covers. I do this not because the directions say to, but because I want help preserve the elastic and know this is one way. The covers also only need that long. The liners take quite a bit longer to fully dry, so I make sure those are all laying flat and let them tumble on high until they are ready.

This might sound like a lot to some people, but honestly it really is simple and doesn't take too much extra time (just a few trips to your washing machine and dryer). It just becomes a routine. For me, it's also easier than making extra trips to the store with a baby...I prefer just having something reusable like this. You might be wondering about stains, as I was before I started. I have been amazed that stains are generally not an issue. Sometimes I see a mild one, but it usually disappears within a couple washes. I have heard just laying then in the sunlight is the best way to get rid of any stubborn stains. I haven't needed to do this yet.

Overall, we have loved these and I think the pack will definitely pay for itself even if they don't last until Liam is potty trained. Michael was impressed with how easy they were as well, and they are working much better than disposables did for us. No blow outs, and they have only leaked when we were learning and didn't have them fastened tight enough. They last overnight with no problems. We still do use disposables for traveling and weekends away, but I always find myself eager to get him back to the cloth.