Cloth diapers and plastic/rubber pants?

**Sara Anders** · 02-14-2009, 03:29 AM

I was just wondering if there was anyone that used rubber/plastic pants when cloth diapering their babies? I find that they work great and are very economical.
If so, what was your experience using them with the cloth diapers
Thanks!
Sara

**LuvMyHubby** · 02-14-2009, 10:41 AM

My diapering days were well over 20 years ago but I did use cloth diapers out of neccessity, although I do admit that I used disposables on car trips and Holiday's at other peoples homes because it was much easier.

Cloth diapers and rubber pants were and were not economical for me in that yes, they were reusable of course and I didn't have to buy a lot of disposables but I didn't have a washer or dryer so had to go to the laundromat and that could easily used up the savings on not purchasing diapers.

If I had it to do again (knock on wood that I won't) as long as I have the money to purchase disposables, I would opt to do that.

**craftypam** · 02-14-2009, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Sara Anders

I was just wondering if there was anyone that used rubber/plastic pants when cloth diapering their babies? I find that they work great and are very economical.
If so, what was your experience using them with the cloth diapers
Thanks!
Sara

Hi,

I used cloth diapers and as far as I'm concerned it was the only way. What a waste of money for disposables. All you people out there using them; just for 5 minutes figure out the cost.

Pam

**Milly** · 02-14-2009, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by craftypam

I used cloth diapers and as far as I'm concerned it was the only way. What a waste of money for disposables. All you people out there using them; just for 5 minutes figure out the cost.

My diapering days were over 25 years ago and I still sometimes think about all my daughter's disposables hanging around the landfill somewhere in So. California. You're right about the cost, Pam, and the environmental impact is also a cost, IMO.

**Grainlady** · 02-14-2009, 02:17 PM

Do I detect an age trend here - my "babies" are 37 and almost 32. They just barely had disposable diapers when my oldest was a baby. You had a plastic diaper holder with snaps on it, and you inserted a wad of paper diaper product into the back slip and the front slip. You could only get them at a pharmacy. You reused the plastic diaper holder.

I used diapers and plastic pants for both kids. I laundered the plastic pants along with the diapers. I tried to line dry both. The sun not only whitens diapers, it also sanitizes them. You may end up using several pair of plastic pants each day, so you want a bunch of them. The dryer is tough on plastic pants and the elastic in them, so try to air-dry them.

The thing that saved the day using diapers, especially when babies are really young and the poo was soft and "icky", were flushable paper diaper liners. I don't know if they even sell them anymore. You put the liner on the diaper and it made clean-up a lot easier.

I didn't have a W/D with the first baby, so I made sure I did a good job rinsing the diapers out in the toilet before putting them in a diaper bucket with Borax/water solution in it. I rinsed them in a mild bleach/water solution before we took them to the laundramat.

I'd also suggest using Charlie's Soap for washing diapers (and all your laundry for that matter). It doesn't build up in the fabric like most other detergents.

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/Charlies-Soap-p-94.html

Now is there anyone out there pre-plastic pants? Do we have anyone who used "soakers". I think they've also made a comeback in recent years.

**Ashie06** · 02-14-2009, 05:36 PM

i've used prefolds and nylon pull-on covers

not sure if that counts

**Ashie06** · 02-14-2009, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Grainlady

Do I detect an age trend here - my "babies" are 37 and almost 32. They just barely had disposable diapers when my oldest was a baby. You had a plastic diaper holder with snaps on it, and you inserted a wad of paper diaper product into the back slip and the front slip. You could only get them at a pharmacy. You reused the plastic diaper holder.

^^^those sound alot like modern "g-diapers".

I used diapers and plastic pants for both kids. I laundered the plastic pants along with the diapers. I tried to line dry both. The sun not only whitens diapers, it also sanitizes them. You may end up using several pair of plastic pants each day, so you want a bunch of them. The dryer is tough on plastic pants and the elastic in them, so try to air-dry them.

The thing that saved the day using diapers, especially when babies are really young and the poo was soft and "icky", were flushable paper diaper liners. I don't know if they even sell them anymore. You put the liner on the diaper and it made clean-up a lot easier.

yup they sure do. i had a roll of them that looked like toilet paper awhile back.

I didn't have a W/D with the first baby, so I made sure I did a good job rinsing the diapers out in the toilet before putting them in a diaper bucket with Borax/water solution in it. I rinsed them in a mild bleach/water solution before we took them to the laundramat.

I'd also suggest using Charlie's Soap for washing diapers (and all your laundry for that matter). It doesn't build up in the fabric like most other detergents.

i'd be careful with the charlie's....it has caused alot of bad reactions/chemical burns. my son got chemical burns from it

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/Charlies-Soap-p-94.html

Now is there anyone out there pre-plastic pants? Do we have anyone who used "soakers". I think they've also made a comeback in recent years.

soakers are popular lately too. most fitted dipes come with them.

**craftypam** · 03-09-2009, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Grainlady

Do I detect an age trend here - my "babies" are 37 and almost 32. They just barely had disposable diapers when my oldest was a baby. You had a plastic diaper holder with snaps on it, and you inserted a wad of paper diaper product into the back slip and the front slip. You could only get them at a pharmacy. You reused the plastic diaper holder.

I used diapers and plastic pants for both kids. I laundered the plastic pants along with the diapers. I tried to line dry both. The sun not only whitens diapers, it also sanitizes them. You may end up using several pair of plastic pants each day, so you want a bunch of them. The dryer is tough on plastic pants and the elastic in them, so try to air-dry them.

The thing that saved the day using diapers, especially when babies are really young and the poo was soft and "icky", were flushable paper diaper liners. I don't know if they even sell them anymore. You put the liner on the diaper and it made clean-up a lot easier.

I didn't have a W/D with the first baby, so I made sure I did a good job rinsing the diapers out in the toilet before putting them in a diaper bucket with Borax/water solution in it. I rinsed them in a mild bleach/water solution before we took them to the laundramat.

I'd also suggest using Charlie's Soap for washing diapers (and all your laundry for that matter). It doesn't build up in the fabric like most other detergents.

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/washing-diapers.htm

http://www.fuzzibunzstore.com/Charlies-Soap-p-94.html

Now is there anyone out there pre-plastic pants? Do we have anyone who used "soakers". I think they've also made a comeback in recent years.

Grainlady I don't know if it was different in different states but my mom had a baby when I was 14. She is now 40 and my mom used disposable diapers like they are today, but I don't think they were name brand.

**boysnberries** · 03-09-2009, 10:13 PM

I used cloth with my 3 youngest children, but I didn't use the plastic pants; I used wool or fleece soakers (fleece is great and inexpensive; there are free patterns online). I also had some covers that were made of a PUL inner and cloth outer.

A friend of mine does use prefolds and pull on pants; she's diapered all of her children this way and has not had any issues with leaking.