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Hey there,

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, and feel free to move it if it is.. but I was wondering, for those of you who use cloth on a regular basis, how big is your stash size? 24 diapers? or 42 diapers? or some other number? I was wondering how many i would need in order to rotate them so they last longer. I realized that in order to have enough to rotate them so only 1 gets washed per week.. and i think 36 might be a number. 42 is so they are washed every 2 weeks.. but where would i put 42 diapers aind their insterts for the pocket ones? I don't know LOL. My goal is to stop using attends altogether eventually and use the pocket diapers, because attends are cheap.

Peace out!

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

When I used cloth for overnight I only had 4 diapers and covers. I washed them every three days and always had a spare on hand.

And it's always intrigued me when some says if you rotate them out they will last longer. Well yeah, that's because you're using each one less often. Just keep on hand how ever many you need to have an extra day (or two) for spares and you should be just fine. Yes they will wear out sooner, but that's because you'll be using them more often. It's still a one-to-one correlation. Every time you use one and wash it, it will get a little more worn out. This won't change if you use them a little less often or a little more.

Cloth diapers come in three flavors: flannel, birdseye, and gauze. Flannel lasts the longest, but can become stiff and uncomfortable. Birdseye stays soft, but does not last as long as flannel. Gauze is the loosest weave; it is the softest and most absorbent, but does not last as long as the others. As cloth diapers become thin with because of use, I double or triple them in order to get reliable absorbency. Also, drying cloth diapers in a dryer is much harder on them than drying them outside. I typically keep 12-14 diapers in my inventory; I go through 3-6 on a typical fall, winter, or spring day, less in hot summer weather when I perspire so much that I dehydrate.

Patrick, how long do the diapers last you with that inventory? I am planning on using hte pocket diapers which have an insert made of both flannel and french terry hemp.

Rob

_________________
"We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love" Mother Teresa

"THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" - Captain Picard from Chain of Command, Part II

Rob,

As others have indicated, it is not how many diapers you have, it is how many washings they withstand before showing too much wear. A friend of mine kept 16 night-weight cloth diapers on his shelves.

Some of my six gauze night-weight pre-folds began to give out after only 7 months of use. I had expected a longer period. However, I did wash mine with an extra rinse and high speed spin cycle and also used bleach about 1/3 of the time. I have changed over to Birdseye fabric prefolds and love them. They feel more durable. We shall see.

--John

Because I do not have any experience with pocket diapers, I cannot comment. The oldest diapers in my inventory are maybe seven years old; the newest are three years old, gauze from ACD. They will need to be replaced perhaps as early as next January.