Cloth.

I can finally admit with pride that my daughter has a bum!

She's been slowly chunking out and she FINALLY fits into her cloth diapers. This is most excellent news. Nights and weekends will be filled with cloth diaper goodness for her saving us loads of money! While we've had a lot of fun experimenting with different kinds and styles, I think we've settled on one that works best for us.

Layla is a heavy wetter. BIG time. That was always one issue with her when we tried them before. Her skinny little chicken legs weren't big enough to fill out the prefold shell (even on the absolute smallest setting) and, because she would pee SO much, it just leaked all over her clothes. I was so frustrated after days of putting up with changing her clothes multiple times a day that I gave up and did the disposables. I've tried all of her diapers on her (except the G Diapers which she is still too small for) and found that there are some I love, and some I really hate. People always RAVE about pocket diapers. They are convenient, they have cute prints, you can stuff them full of fluff. Me? I hate them. My girl is such a heavy wetter that she looked absolutely ridiculous when I would stuff them with enough fluff to absorb all her pee. I also found that the inner lining would be so stuffed that the top of the inner lining would sneak out and soak her clothes. Even when I tried cloth before, I always went back to the prefolds with a thirsties cover. They are so easy to assemble and don't look ridiculous when they are heavily stuffed. I've been hesitant to try the AIO's but, I broke down today and did it. I can't lie- I didn't love it. She soaked right through and onto her clothes (even the outer shell of the AIO). So, we changed back to prefolds. 

Here's my secret. I have a bunch of G cloth soakers that are very absorbent. I throw one of those in along with her prefold (I gave up on newborn sized prefolds. They are simply too small- even when she was a newborn! They don't absorb all of her pee!) and it seems to get the job done. But today. Today I found the best diaper of them all. The Green Mountain Diaper Company Workhorse Diaper. This diaper is made from organic prefold cloth. It also has a built in insert (which really does nothing except look pretty).  Layla can soak an ENTIRE diaper after one pee but, because you have to put a shell on it, the soak is contained. As long as the shell fits your babe, pee stays in and clothes stay dry! I fell in love with this diaper after she pee'd in it the first time. My only complaint? When it's full, it SMELLS lol! I do still put in a G soaker and she soaks right through it. So, if you have a heavy wetter like me, it's probably best to have an extra layer of protection. What I love most is that, if she doesn't pee a ton, the shell is reusable. I tend not reuse the shell if she poops. But that's just because I'm super anal (no pun intended) about her cleanliness/germs. Even if it's not enough poop to get on the shell, it goes in the pail to be washed.

No, the diaper doesn't have cutesy prints on it and no, it isn't one I can stuff to my hearts content, but neither of those things are important. Practicality is. This diaper works for us because it absorbs the best. Layla is still getting used to having moisture on her skin (disposables wick it away much better than cloth) so she fusses a bit more when she's wet, but that's ok with us. She doesn't fuss at ALL in a disposable. She got diaper rash the first week home because she never fussed with a wet or poopy diaper. We had to start checking her every hour. Now, we just know when she's full. It's easy to tell!

We only have THREE of the workhorse diapers so, obviously, I'm in the market for more- as well as some covers (admittedly, I'd like some cute prints if possible for the covers!) I'm going to start buying 2 a month next month until my supply is up a bit. That way, when Layla has a brother or sister, we'll have PLENTY of diapers and, hopefully, no need for disposables. I plan to buy newborn size next time as the small size fits her pretty well now. I've learned that fit is very important when using cloth on my babe. I don't want her to feel like I'm strapping her into a pair of leather pants...but she also needs to be snug in the diaper or I'll be changing clothes all day long. Her diaper pail is filled to the brim right now with dirties (that I'm about to go wash) and it's only been 2 days. Lucky for me, I still have the option of throwing in a size small prefold with a G soaker to get me through a couple of hours. I don't think she'd get through the night with just a prefold and a G soaker. She did make it through last night with a Workhorse though. 

Look at her chunky legs! She's getting there!

I think it's safe to say, we are a cloth diaper family! Now, if only I could find a way to stay home with my girl ALL the time so we could cloth full time? Anyone have any bright ideas?