We all love baby showers, whether it’s for someone else or we’re the guest of honor. Besides the cake (which is my favorite part of any gathering :) ), there’s the fun of gifts!
How can you ensure that disposable diapers aren’t given to you by the bushel-full?
Here are the steps to follow:
1) Discuss this with the hostess from the beginning….before she sends out invitations.
2) Pick a cloth diaper store to set up a registry. Here are some store suggestions:
- Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique
- The Diaper Wagon
- Wee Little Changes
- Little For Now
- Banana Peels Diapers
Practically any of your favorite stores (even Amazon!) provide this basic service. Once you’ve set the registry up, the store will provide you with a direct link (great for e-vites or email) or guests can search for your registry by your name.
3) Invitations should include a small note indicating that you are using cloth diapers and that you are registered at “X” stores. Most people realize when it says “Autumn is registered at Babies R Us” that that means you would search by my name.
4) Be gracious! Inevitably you will receive disposable diapers. There are SO many families in need of diapers that it won’t be hard to find a grateful recipient.
In two weeks I will be attending my first baby shower where the mom is using cloth diapers! You can probably imagine how excited I am. I hope this mom doesn’t mind being spoiled! I’m definitely a shopper and buying for others makes it even more enjoyable.
Oh and one more thing that just hit me. This is an awesome time to show others how much cloth diapers have changed and just how easy they are! If you have a few already then bring them along for “decoration”. I mean, really, who can resist a teeny tiny ultra soft newborn cloth diaper??
Autumn is a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, friend and most important a follower of Christ.
Renae meyer says
I’m having my second son due at end of Dec. and I have been slowly adding to my cloth collection. This time around all I want is cloth! I really want to have a cloth diaper shower but my friends are not really into cloth like I am so am. Unsure how to approach this idea, any advice on how to approach friends and make it easy for them to order fluff for us?!
I can’t get over feeling kind off though that I am asking people to buy me stuff but could really use some help to get a nice collection for my newborn. Appreciate any advice.
Melanie says
I’m expecting a little girl in March and I am planning on CD’ing, but I was wondering how to do that without wasting a lot of money in the beginning? A friend who CD’ed recommended just starting when the baby is about a month, but it seems so silly to wait. However, I have also read the suggestion to try many different systems so that you find what works best for the baby and particular family. But would it still be reasonable to register for cloth diapers? and if so, which ones?
Autumn Beck says
You could do it 3 ways: a) register for newborn diapers. then you can slowly buy the next size up and sell the nb diapers when baby outgrows, b) register for one-sized diapers and use a newborn diaper rental program or c) register for one-sized diapers and buy a modest nb stash off diaperswappers.com.
I always recommending cloth diapering from day 1. It really is easier that way.
Meredith says
A suggestion for new moms who are planning to CD: If you receive disposable diapers for a shower gift, don’t donate them right away. Hang on to them. Idealism notwithstanding, you may have occasion to use them, and if you don’t, then you can donate. It’s probably smart to give yourself a backup in case a family member helping with the newborn resists using CDs, your washing machine breaks, or you want to tuck a few emergency diapers into a diaperbag/vehicle and don’t have enough CDs to remove them from your regular rotation (this has saved our forgetful selves many a time!). Many of us are not CD purists, and that’s ok too.
Autumn Beck says
I don’t recommend having disposables on hand but some may like that option.
Trisha says
I registered for cloth diapers at jillians drawers for my shower. Honestly I didnt get many items off there, but I was so happy to get the few things I did. There was a lot of convo about the snappi and how it worked and I did a little demo : )
Great opportunity to show people how cloth works.
At our store the lil joeys get SO much attention. Probably just because they are so teensy and squish! I love them<3
Jillian says
Babycottonbottoms.com is awesome as well! They have an actual warehouse you can walk into as well…if you live in Colorado Springs :)
Susan says
Thanks so much Autumn & Jen! I had hoped to go with just one system, but the proraps seemed reasonably priced so I registered for a few. We’ll see what I get at my shower…if any CD. I will look at the Softbums, too. You can’t imagine how much I have learned about cloth diapers over the past month or so that I’ve been reading (and rereading) your site.
Susan says
Hi everyone,
I am expecting my first child in early January and have decided I would really like to use cloth diapers. I’ve been reading Autumn’s site (which is awesome) and have pretty much settled on Flip diapers to begin with. I was able to register for the cover + insert set on the two sites I am using (but not extra inserts). I am hoping that people will realize I am planning to CD when they see them.
Now a question for you all…
I thought I’d ask here (hope you don’t mind) about CD and newborns. I am not convinced that the Flip is going to work right off the bat since some of the comments talk about them being too big at first. Can any of you recommend a similar (All in 2 – right???) diaper that I can have on hand right away? Or will I need to begin with a different types (prefolds +cover, maybe)? THANKS!
Autumn Beck says
You could get some prefolds or fitteds for the newborn stage and use the Flip covers over them. Congratulations on the baby!!
Susan says
Thanks, Autumn! I think I’ll stock up with some prefolds. Will I need to worry about the umbilical cord at first or is the cover low enough? It is quite amazing to me to have this little guy on the way. (I met Mr. Right very late and because of some reproductive issues was told it would be rather unlikely for me to get pregnant. But now, at 41, I am in my 2nd trimester…just weeks from the 3rd.) Probably TMI, but I am bursting with happiness! Can’t wait to try all these cute cloth diapers.
Autumn Beck says
Not TMI at all! It’s really a preference in regards to the umbilical stump. There are many moms who place the cover over the stump. I personally prefer to use Proraps covers (xs). They are easy, have internal gussets and are cheap. I don’t know if you were wanting to buy different systems for newborn and later but I always recommend newborn sized items. To me it’s worth it. Check out http://re-diaper.com for some great deals.
Jen says
Congratulations Susan!
For my newborn (now almost 3 weeks old) we found that the Softbums diaper worked perfectly. We could adjust it small enough that it fit under his umbilical cord. The Softbums inserts are a bit bulky for the newborn stage, so we’ve been using the Bumgenius stay-dry doublers instead. When he gets bigger, we can still use the Softbums cover with their inserts and we’ll be able to use the doublers as needed in the Softbums diaper or any others.
Good luck!
-Jen
Autumn Beck says
Softbums recommends the mini pods for newborns. Have you tried this option?
Nicole says
We are expecting #5 to arrive any time now, and I so wish someone would ask me what I want/need. Well, I had a great aunt ask my mom and mom told her we needed a pack n’ play (which we do need), but every time I tell any of my family about my love for cd (except for my mom and siblings) they all look at me like I have two heads! I’d love to get some new dipes like some Fuzzibunz which is on my wish list. However, I have met some awesome moms in a local group who also cd and we are all working on getting the word out to others in this area.
Kristen says
Don’t forget about http://jilliansdrawers.com! Lots of natural baby gear, not just cloth diapers, and really fast shipping. And yes, you can set up a registry with them, too.
Sarah Flukinger says
With my first baby boy, I registered with a cloth diapering site, but no one bought me diapers for my shower except one friend that got me a gift card to the store. Also, my MIL pitched in a bunch as our gift and that’s how we got started. I think people were skeptical about us really sticking with it.
With baby #2, who was also a boy, I only wanted diapers. I just wanted some newborn sized prefolds and some covers and a few extra faves like Blueberry one-size minky diapers (my all-time favorite pocket!) People were so much more receptive. I registered for other odds and ends, too, like diaper rash sticks, Burt’s Bees powder, a new diaper bag – just to give the option of something else for those still skeptical – although, how could you be when I CD’d my first one his whole life? :)
It was so much fun at my shower. The moms were all interested. The older ladies (Great Grandmas) oohed and aahed at how much easier they were compared to their day. They really got a kick out of snappies!! HAHA!!
And then I started passing down the newborn sized dipes to my other CD friends that are not finished having babies. I had no problems gifting them since they were gifted to me.
I love cloth diapering!!
Grateful for Grace says
Great tips! But what do you do when you want to be a hostess for someone who has her own cloth diaper blog? Does she have enough cds already? Do you say, “Autumn is swimming in diapers, so please don’t bring any, unless they are Good Mama newborns!” ;-)
Autumn Beck says
UMMMM, hello!? Can I really ever have enough? :) I follow the same rules and set up a registry.
Andrea says
I got to shop for a friend’s cousin’s shower. It was a lot of fun. I wish that I could have gone to the shower also. I’m not sure if that was the only cloth she recieved for her LO or not, but it was fun! My friend was showing the other people how they are used, and how easy they are now. Everyone was asking her how she knew so much about CDs since she doesn’t have kids, but it is all due to my DD :) I have her husband convinced on cloth when they have kids sometime, and also her sister, so we will see. It is nice to spread the word on cloth!
Tessa says
That is a great idea! Another great place to show off those cute CD bottoms is if you are a part of any kind of mothers group. That is how I got started at my breastfeeding support group. I saw how easy the new dipes were and had to give them a try. Now I’m hooked. My MIL was going to buy a pack of sposies a month for when we go out and at night. I told her I was not going to need them and she was so shocked. Now that I have been over there with my LO with his cloth bottom she has not suggested it again. Just looking at the cute dipes wins so many people over that it would be a shame not to give or show some at the shower. Will have to do that at the next one I go to.
Annie says
It’s amazing how many people say they asked for cloth diapers and got a bunch of things they didn’t need, including disposables. We suggest putting a business card or brochure with the store information (map, store hours, phone number, website) for where the mom is registered in with the invitation. This seems to make a big difference.
Heidi Maxwell says
Great post. I never made it to my shower – but even with repeated tellings of our desire to not use disposables, I ended up with a boatload of them and not much else. Yeah, I’m still grumpy that I never got a baby shower.
Whenever I go to a shower, I bring something AP – even if its just cloth changing pads and matching cloth wipes. Everyone can use those!
Diane says
I LOVE that more moms-to-be are making the choice to use cloth before their baby is born! It is SO much less expensive to ask for the cloth diapers as gifts (and we all know how much less expensive they are over sposies!). I have a suggestion for the shower hostesses who like the idea of a diaper cake…have one made with cloth or try something novel- a cloth diaper bouquet!
Great post, Autumn! Have fun shopping for the shower!
Erin says
I do registries at my shop and then deliver wrapped gifts right to the shower for my local customers. When I do, I also bring anything that wasn’t purchased off the registry and people usually buy an extra diaper here & there. :) Love cloth baby showers!
Autumn Beck says
What’s your shop, Erin?
Erin says
http://www.eastcoastcloth.com :)
Hayli says
I’m glad you posted this! I didn’t put a single disposable diaper on my registry and put cloth diapers galore, so I was hoping that would get the hint out as I don’t have a hand in the planning of my shower. Hopefully that’s enough but I may change the welcome page of my registry to say we are cloth diapering just to be sure it’s in plain sight! Thanks for the post!
Alissa says
What a great post…and a great way to spread the word about modern cloth diapers! I wish some of the FIVE women I know that just had babies in the last 2 weeks were a little less hard headed. But at least I know I tried and gave them the information they needed.
Holly says
I asked my mom (hostess) to put on the invitations, “No disposable diapers please!”. We did not receive any disposables. We did end up with disposable wipes. We used them until we realized our baby was sensitive to them. Then we switched to cloth wipes as well. I registered for cloth diapers but my mother was the only one who actually bought any. Which was fine by me cause they are so much fun to buy! :D
Cindi says
“Oh and one more thing that just hit me. This is an awesome time to show others how much cloth diapers have changed and just how easy they are! If you have a few already then bring them along for “decoration”. I mean, really, who can resist a teeny tiny ultra soft newborn cloth diaper??”
LOL!!! I can’t resist them at all and I don’t even have babies anymore! But those little fluffy butts are so adorable!
Great post Autumn even for “me” who is and will be forever attending baby showers! I might just even give them even if the mom won’t be CD’ing because they are so stink’n cute and can you imagine the conversation the would be sparked from a little cloth diaper. Especially if you know the sex of the baby and the name…have it custom embroidered with name or initials :)
ooo-aahhhs will be heard all around!
Marla says
I love newborn fluff too! And since I make my dipes I always give a couple to new moms at showers. They love them even if they don’t do cloth. They end up using them over a sposie lol.