I knew I wanted to save my baby the pain and myself the heartache and frustration and go for cloth as soon as she came earth side. This notion came out of fear that my new baby girl would also be extremely allergic to the chemicals in disposable diapers.
So , although I was a very seasoned cloth diapering mama I was a little apprehensive of using cloth diapers at the hospital. I did not do it with my first and did not have first-hand experience with it. However it was not a question of if but how.
After deep deliberation with myself
sometimes out loud, I came to the conclusion that I would approach my hospital stay with cloth diapers like I would if on a short getaway.
So here are my five recommendations to successfully cloth diaper at the hospital.
1- Write it DOWN
Yes write it down. No not on a post it, but in your birth plan. (Side note if you plan on having a natural delivery make two birth plans; one for your real plan and one for your back-up unplanned plan just in case you have to have a c-section) don't forget to put it in both plans!!! It's very important to write down what you expect and want for yourself and baby. This can be hectic and crazy time and this plan will help keep yourself on course and your healthcare providers aware of your desires and expectations.
2- Educate Yourself (for newbies)
Now if you already cloth diaper but have not yet during a hospital stay you can go on and skip this. However if this is your first rodeo then to be successful you have to do the research. Ask friends who cloth diaper, talk to cloth diaper services take a cloth class get educated! That way you have the knowledge to pass along to your nurse if need be. You can find some information on Pinterest but I highly recommend taking a class.
3- Bring what you need for at least a 3-4 day stay
This was my biggest mistake. I did not plan on having my baby the day I did let alone a c-section. Lucky for me I had a wonderful best friend who also cloth diapers so she was able to run home and do a load of diapers for me. My advice save yourself the trouble and bring enough for 3-4 days.
4-Bring what you need not what you want.
Once you start buying diapers you will find yourself falling in love with all the colors and prints, eager to show them off. But when cloth diapering at the hospital it's best to keep things simple. I suggest getting yourself some newborn prefolds and newborn fitted diapers and a couple of cute PUL covers.
This is the simplest way to conveniently and successfully use cloth in the hospital for days. How many you ask? If you are doing a mix of the two you need about 15 prefolds, 10 fitteds and about 3 covers. The great thing about covers are you can easily wipe them down and let them dry thus not needing as many. Keep in mind while in the hospital your baby will not be eliminating as much in the first few days of life. You will also need one large wet bag or two small travel wet bags to hold soiled diapers. A couple of snappies and that's it. Simple!
5- NO SPOSIES AT ALL
That's right don't even think about it! As I said before make it absolutely clear to every nurse you have (you will have more than one) that you will NOT be using disposables diapers, so please do not fill baby's bassinet with them. Have someone write it on the chart, the door or bassinet itself. You will be encouraged to use them, don't it's ok, you will be told the meconium will ruin your diapers, it won't. In fact my husband found it super easy to rinse off in the toilet and I had no lasting stains at all.
It could not be any easier. Using cloth is the same as using a sposie with one exception, you throw in a wet bag not the garbage. Trust me when I say even this seasond mama was a bit leery, but truly it was so simple and easy. I do warn you though you will get plenty of questions and shocked looks but I was proud of what I was doing and so should you!!
So go on make cloth mainstream...I dare you!
Thoughtfully,
ecoCouture Baby
