Accessories
Storing Dirty Diapers
Regardless of the type of diapers you use or amount of diapers you have, you need somewhere to put them when they're soiled. Contrary to popular belief you do NOT need to spend a crazy amount of $$$ on a pail made specifically for diapers.
Many people get by with one pail in the nursery, others prefer to get two (one for the nursery and another for the bathroom). Once your baby is eating solids, it handy to have a pail or wet-bag near the toilet for storage after cleaning off poop.
Laundry Basket
Kitchen Garbage Can
Diaper Pail
Pro Tip: You'll want to try and leave the basket/ can/ pail open. This will help dramatically with any odors by letting your diapers get air to them. It seems counter-intuitive but airflow really does help cut down on stink.
Pail Liner
This water-resistant or mesh bag goes in the diaper pail to collect all of the soiled diaper. On laundry day, empty the diapers into the wash, turn the bag inside out and throw it into the wash.
Pro Tip: On a tight budget? Pail liners are optional; Use a large pillow case or skip it entirely.
Hanging Wetbag
The alternative to the basket/can/pail. This water-resistant bag hangs on the back of a door. On laundry day, empty the diapers into the wash, turn the bag inside out and throw it into the wash too.
Pro Tip: Get 2. Use 1 while the other is washing and hangs to dry.
Travel Wetbags
These are exactly like liners and wet bags discussed above but are usually smaller with zippers at the top. These come in various styles and sizes (holding between 2-10 diapers) and are mainly used on day trips. When you return home, empty the soiled diapers into your basket/ can/ pail. Use your judgement to reuse the bag between wash days. It can be washed (inside out) with your diapers.
Some wetbags come with a "dry" mesh pocket to store clean diapers and wipes.
On a budget, reusing a plastic shopping bag works too.
Cloth Wipes
Some people prefer to use disposable wipes but most people who cloth diaper full time find it easiest to use cloth wipes as well so you don't accidentally throw the disposables in with the wash. Cloth wipes are used like disposable wipes except they are thrown right into your diaper pail/hanging wet bag along with your soiled diapers to be washed with everything else on laundry day. Cloth wipes can be made from various materials from fleece to flannel. A lot of people DIY this portion of their stash as they can easily be made by sewing two pieces of fabric together. You can also use baby washcloths! For a newborn stash, estimate about 2 wipes per diaper change: You'll want somewhere between 24 and 36 wipes to do laundry every two days. The amount you'll need depends on how often your child needs to be changed and their general elimination habits.
Pro Tip: If you have a wipes dispenser, you can fold your cloth wipes to pop-up like disposables.
Wipes Solution
A wipes solution is optional. You can:
Wet a couple of wipes in the sink before a diaper change
Fill a spray bottle with water
Fill a spay bottle with a DIY wipes solution
Buy a wipes solution from a local cloth diaper store or Etsy
Pro Tip: If you chose to pre-soak wipes in a dispenser, only prep a few wipes at a time. Cloth wipes will get mildewy within just a few days as they won't have the same preservatives that disposable wipes do.
Diaper Fasteners
Some types of diapers need something to close them (i.e. prefolds, flats, snapless fitteds). There are various fasteners on the market.
Pins
Pins are the OG diaper fastener. You use a pin at each hip to attach the "wing" to the front of the diaper.
Snappi
These come in two sizes: baby and toddler. The claw on the ends grabs the cloth to keep it closed.
Boingo
These are sold in sets of two. Like pins, the claws on the ends attach both wings to the front of the diaper.
Pro Tip: Gently stretch your Boingos or Snappi prior to use.
Liners
Liners for cloth diapers come in reusable and disposable versions.
The amount of each of these you will need depends on the amount of diapers you have and the amount of times you want to use them. Most babies have no problem feeling a little wet in their diapers, so many people can skip on this purchase.
Some people prefer to use liners with their night time diapers, when the baby begins sleeping in longer stretches.
Microfleece Liners
Some babies are sensitive to wetness and are never comfortable in even a damp diaper. Fleece liners are made to wick excess moisture away from baby's skin and will help with that stay-dry feeling. These are mainly used with prefolds, flats, and fitteds. Pockets and AIOs typically have a sewn-in layer of fleece or micro suede that wicks moisture away.
Pro Tip: You can DIY liners by cutting up cheap fleece blankets.
Disposable liners
Disposable liners are very thin and mostly made from bamboo viscose. They will let liquid through and catch solids. Most disposable liners are marketed as "flushable" but it's best for your plumbing to toss in the trash.
Disposables liners can be helpful on outings, when your baby begins eating solids, or when they're sick or teething. Disposable liners are also an option to help with the "ick-factor" of dealing with solids poop.
Diaper Creams
When it comes to diapers creams, there is prevention and treatment. A barrier cream will contain an ingredient that prevents moisture from leaving the skin and prevents moisture from the wet diaper from irritating the skin. Coconut oil is a popular choice.
A treatment cream will have an active ingredient like zinc oxide (or herbal salve) to help heal irritation. You can use zinc oxide with cloth diapers. It will very likely stain, however it should not affect the performance of the diaper.
Rashes that don't clear up may be yeast or bacterial. Talk to your doctor or paediatrician about an antifungal or antibiotic.
Petroleum is the ingredient to avoid. It is used in many common diaper creams so read the label before you buy. This ingredient may coat the diaper fibers and cause repelling/ absorbency issues.
Pro Tip: If and when you use cream, make sure your baby's bum is dry. You don't want to trap in extra moisture. You also don't have to use cream every diaper change.
Boudreaux's Natural Butt Paste
CJ's BUTTer Shea Butter Balm
Burt's Bees Multipurpose Ointment
Earth Mama Baby Organic Diaper Balm
Diaper Sprayer
Another optional purchase, diaper sprayers are one way of dealing with poop once your baby begins eating solids. These hook up to the back of your toilet or sink. They are used to remove any solids from soiled diapers.
If your baby is eating exclusively breastmilk or formula, soiled diapers can go straight into the wash. Breastmilk-fed baby poop is water soluble. Formula-fed baby poop may stain more but most washing machines can manage.
