*This is a post about diapers. You should expect to read about bodily functions.*
We started cloth diapering when Munchkin was about 5 weeks old. We started with disposables because I knew I wouldn’t be up to figuring out cloth with a newborn. After having the surprise C-section, that was a great choice on our part. Transitioning to cloth was easy. I loved cloth for the first year. It was easy and cheap for us.
Around the time Munchkin turned one, her urine became more concentrated (which is normal from what I’ve been told.) This, for us, equals having an ammonia stink in our pocket diapers. Munchkin’s skin would be red. I was afraid that she’s get an ammonia burn from it. After banging my head against the wall for three months, we tested our water. Our water is hard and that can make it difficult to clean the diapers. I started using a water softener and while it helped, it didn’t totally eliminate the problem. I’ve bleached them, used RLR, blue dawn and so many hot rinses and washes that I could fill multiple pools with hot water. Nothing worked.
I battled it for a little bit longer, trying just about everything. In December I finally gave up and we switched to disposables. Munchkin’s bum needed a break and so did mama! It helped that Nana watched her while we were on our cruise and disposables were easier for her. With the craziness of Christmas and our trip to Maine in early January, we kept using disposables.
I enjoy just throwing the whole diaper away, especially when it was full of poop. I do not enjoy the disposable smell (they have a distinct odor to me and it is not pleasant.) I also don’t love the thought of all those chemicals against Munchkin’s skin. As our stash of disposables dwindled, I had to make a decision…keep doing disposables or go back to cloth?
Most of our cloth diapers are used. I think the stink issue is coming from the microfiber inserts. They’ve been stripped and bleached so many times. I think it’s possible they might be at the end of their life. The Man has told me that I can buy brand new diapers. I’m hesitant because I don’t know what kind I want! Even though disposable diapers are super convenient, I really do prefer cloth. They work for us and I really do not mind the diaper laundry.
So for now we’re using our fitteds and prefold with covers. I haven’t had stink issues with these diapers. The Man doesn’t love them because you have to put two things on the baby. I don’t mind them at all. Hopefully these will work just fine until I can decide what pocket diapers I want to get.
If you cloth diaper, what is your favorite kind of diaper?
Have you dealt with ammonia? How did you get rid of it?
