My journey into Cloth Diapering | Ft. SuperBottoms | Non Sponsored Honest Review

Tara is ten months old now. And trust me when I say, I was contemplating to write this post ever since she turned six months old! Welcome to Mamahood 🙂

When I was expecting Tara, I would often think to myself “Will I be able to handle the baby’s pee/poop?” A week before my planned C-Section, realisation hit me hard. How will I be able to convince myself to clean the poop? Then Tara popped out and the poop cleaning was taken care of by the hospital for the first seven days (thank God!). But once I was back home, it took me some time and finesse to get used to this new chore.

What I must mention here is that Mr. Pal very enthusiastically takes up this chore and has been very consistent with his enthusiasm till date.

I was introduced to cloth diapering by a dear friend who was also a new mom like me. It took me a lot of time to weigh its pros and cons over disposables. If you ask me, disposables initially seemed better because as a new mom, I would always feel tired and overwhelmed and with very little help (almost zero help) at hand, washing cloth diapers seemed to be the last thing on my mind. However, the negative effect it has over the baby’s skin and our environment when used on a long term basis, easily outweighed its pros. Then one fine day, I decided to give it a try and see what it was all about!

I took to SuperBottoms Uno as Tara’s cloth diaper. I was ready with my research well before Tara was born. Founded by a fellow mom – Pallavi, I have seen this brand growing in number and improvising itself when it comes to cloth diapers. And luckily, by the time Tara was two months old, their revolutionary product Uno 2.0 was launched. Initially I bought their Newborn Uno, but when my baby outgrew it soon after, I got their Uno 2.0 in different prints. Infact, Tara’s first diaper from their range was printed and named after her, Periwinkle/Nayantara.

To start with cloth diapering, remember to wash them before their first use for greater absorbency. I use Cloth Diaper Detergent/Laundry Sheets by Superbottoms, since it has no residue or build up, unlike other powder detergents. Then after drying them, take the outer shell (the one which has quirky prints on it), and snap it with the Magic Dry Feel Main Pad, followed by a Coloured Easy Clean Top Sheets/Diaper Liners. Snap the diapers, and you are good to go! And in case you are wondering why the diaper is leaking, or if you got the right fit, you could join their Parent Tribe Community on Facebook to get the fit analysed by experts. I got my fit right after a couple of attempts.

As for my cloth diaper routine, I do my diaper laundry everyday. I soak the diapers in some detergent as soon as I wake up and after 30 mins, I agitate them, rinse off the pee and toss them into the washing machine. The washing machine takes care of the rest of it. I dry them in sunlight for a few hours, and yes, they are ready to be used.

Cloth diapering is a learning curve altogether. Some days you will get the perfect fit. Other days they might leak. Some days you will wash them happily. On other days, you will feel that the laundry load has piled up. As a mother who has been doing this in a loop for the past seven months, I would say, being consistent is the key here. Earlier I would fuss about washing them separately which added to a lot of stress. These days, I simple rinse the pee off the diapers with some detergent and toss them into the washing machine along with my other regular laundry. I have around 10-12 cloth diapers and wash atleast 5 of them on a daily basis. It helps me use them evenly on a rotational basis. Apart from diapers, I also invested in their Padded Underwear which gives my little one some diaper free time during the day. Their Padded Underwear are good to hold one or two pees. Cleaning poop becomes easy when you use Coloured Easy Clean Top Sheets/Diaper Liners over the diapers. I have also invested in Waterproof Cloth Bag that are used to store soiled diapers. So while initially you might feel that this involves a lot of cost, and energy, gradually you will get a hang of it. They even offer discounts on certain occasions so one can always stock up while they are on discount. 

I am listing below few points which might help:

• Always wash the cloth diapers before use for maximum absorbency.
• Try and buy cloth diaper shells of a lighter hue/colour. That way you can see if stains are left behind. Avoid black if possible for similar reasons.
• Cloth diapers without their pads can also be used as swim diapers, since they are waterproof.
• Poop stained cloth diapers should be washed and rinsed immediately. Pee stained cloth diapers can be kept in the waterproof bag for up to two days, but I would recommend washing them earlier.
• If you are on a budget, try and buy when the diapers are on sale. These diapers are also available on pre-loved groups. While initially it might seem like an investment, remember you can use them till your baby is pee/potty trained.

For all new mothers who have just started or are yet to start, let me list down the products so that you have one less thing to worry about:

Uno 2.0

Start by buying two in number. That way you will first figure out if you can handle cloth diapering, and then slowly build your stash. You will surely fall in love with their quirky prints!

Padded Underwear

Again buy a set of three initially to see if you are being able to get a hang of it. Invest in more later. Currently I have around fifteen padded unders for Tara, since they take a full day to dry in summers.

Coloured Easy Clean Top Sheets/Diaper Liners

This has made poop cleaning a breeze. Trust me. Just buy a pack of six and you will never pack your diaper bag without it. I have eighteen number of top sheets in my stash and I use them on a rotational basis.

Booster Pads

This helps in greater absorbency of cloth diapers. It is made up of eight layers of organic cotton and I sandwich it in between the Dry Feel Pad for boosting the absorbency of the SuperBottoms Freesize UNO. I have around ten of them in number.

Cloth Diaper Detergent/Laundry Sheets

Just order a pack and see what difference it makes to your regular laundry. I swear by this, specially when I am on a vacation or visit my mum’s place. It makes laundry time so easy, you have to use this to feel it. Just toss in a sheet along with the cloth diapers and your regular laundry into your washing machine/bucket and see the magic! You might feel that it is costly, but last time when I calculated and compared along with my regular laundry (read Surf Excel), laundry sheets were of the same cost per wash.

Waterproof Cloth Bag

I store Tara’s soiled diapers in this bag (soiled with pee only, for poop we wash immediately). It locks all the wetness and the smell. It looks like a colourful bag on display. What more? I would happily replace my room’s wall hanging with this. It is washed along with my regular laundry. I have four of them in number.

Again I would reiterate, cloth diapering is a learning curve. You might not get it right overnight, but consistency is the key. Keep trying, and you will surely ace it. Also there is no right age to start cloth diapering. I started when Tara was three months old. Many start as soon as their baby is born. Many start when the baby is more than six months. Be patient, and forgive yourself on days when you find it too tiresome. Even if you cut down on a single disposable diaper, you are doing a lot. I still use disposables on Tara during night (she sleeps throughout the night), and when we are out on long trips.

Remember, it might seem like a lot of work, but you are doing good, both for your baby and the environment. Tara has never had diaper rashes till date, and I am so glad I took a positive step in giving her a comfortable diaper experience.

So do what you think is right for you and your baby. All the best!

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Disclaimer: This is a non-sponsored review and the views expressed herein is my honest opinion. The product has been purchased by me, though the links provided here are affiliate links and help me earn a tiny amount of commission without costing you anything extra.