I’ve written a post, filled with accessories you don’t need to cloth diaper, but I want to cover those cloth diapering accessories you can’t have enough of. In other words, if you find a good sale, or come across a great deal, you can buy as much or as many of these items as you can, with absolutely no remorse; trust me, you’ll put them to good use!
If you’re going the cloth wipe route, and I absolutely urge you too, then my philosophy is that you can’t have enough. I prefer double-sided wipes, and have added used wipes to my collection over time (I just bought another dozen last month). With well over fifty wipes, I still find myself running low from time to time because I use them for everything! I keep a small wipes wet bag in my diaper bag, which comes in handy for wiping mouths at restaurants, gently wiping runny noses, and cleaning messy hands when eating out. I’ve even used our wipes to clean up my son’s crumbs in a restaurant when he was first learning to eat at a table. Honestly, you can’t have enough cloth wipes!
Even if you’re not using flats, fitteds, or prefolds, diaper covers (or an empty pocket diaper) come in very handy. I know one of the perks of cloth diapering is that you, technically, won’t have to worry about running out of diapers, but trust me, it happens sometimes.
My son and I were out running errands (he was around two months old at the time) and decided to make an impromptu stop at my husband’s office (about 45 minutes away from home). My son was still in the breastfeeding blowout stage, so we were going through at least fifteen diapers a day. Needless to say, I had not prepared accordingly and we were caught without a diaper.
Thankfully, I was a full-time prefold diaper user at the time, so I was able to pull out a spare cover and use a receiving blanket to fashion into a makeshift diaper. From that time on, I made sure to always keep a spare Snappi and cover in my diaper bag for those “just in case” kind of moments. Over time, I was better able to anticipate the number of diapers we would need for outings, always packing one or two extra, but I did find myself caught another time or two once my son entered toddlerhood (and diaper changes became more predictable).
Covers are great for impromptu swimming or water play as well; you never know when you’ll need a cover, they don’t take up a great deal of space in your diaper bag, and they’re generally inexpensive to purchase. My advice is to purchase at least one, one-size cover for backup (if you’re diapering with flats, prefolds, or fitted diapers, you can’t have too many).
As a dedicated prefold user, for my first ten or so months of cloth diapering, I maintain that you can’t have too many of these absorbent cloths. Even if you don’t diaper with them exclusively, they are handy to have around; ’emergency’ backups, inexpensive and incredibly absorbent stuffing options (if you’re a pocket diaper user), burp cloth in a pinch, you name it — buy some today!
If you see a sale or a good deal on inserts, grab them! At some point, you’ll likely need a little more absorbency, so it makes sense to grab a few when you see a good price. I use Best Bottom all-in-two diapers, and I grab inserts (especially small and medium, in case we’re lucky enough to have another baby) whenever I see them used or on sale – I can’t have enough! I recommend purchasing natural fibers to get the most bang for your buck with inserts, but if you’re on a tight budget, microfiber will also get you through. I use Smart Bottoms Organic Cotton Inserts and Wonderful Bambino Bamboo Inserts to add a little more absorbency to my microfiber AIOs.
You can’t have too many liners, in my opinion. No matter how many I cut, I still seem to run out of liners. My liners are like socks, with the dryer somehow ‘eating’ them from time to time. Do you want to know how to make your own fleece liners for just a couple of dollars? Check out this post to see how you can inexpensively make your own, reusable fleece liners. If you’re not into DIY, I recommend Bummis Fleece Liners.
Balm is not just for the bum, my friends. I’ve always kept multiple containers, stashed in different areas (nursery, bathroom, diaper bag), because diaper balm has so many uses! If you’ve ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, then you’ll understand when I say that diaper balm is my Windex. Cracked/chafed lips and cheeks (teething), nipple relief, lotion, hand salve, cuts, oh, and diaper rash too; I’ve used diaper balm in SO many situations. Even better, if you use coconut oil, you can also use it in the kitchen, on your hair, for oil pulling, so many things! I like having two dedicated coconut oil sticks on-hand: one for the bum, and one for everything else (my son likes to schmear it all over himself as lotion). My favorite is Eco Sprout’s Coconut Stick (you can read my review HERE). I also love Grandma El’s as a cloth diaper-safe barrier ointment and Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm for multi-purpose use (click the links to see my reviews).
What are your MUST HAVE cloth diapering accessories?
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