Month 20 has arrived, and we have a couple of pees in the potty, so there's a yellow-y light at the end of the tunnel...
In the meantime, a subtitle for this post could be called "bigger boy, more pee." We've got the next size of the Thirsties Duo (there are only two sizes, which have adjustments so each size can be three sizes, for a total of six, if you follow). My experience with the Thirsties has been largely good, though at the margins of the sizing in the Duos (starting out when the Boy was very small - then transitioning to the Duo Size 2) there's some compromise. When we made the size leap, the size ones looked a little like bikini briefs, and the size twos were a touch big even on the smallest setting. The offspring has admittedly slender thighs, which has been an issue with all gussets.
I would recommend hang-dry only for your Thirsties - the velcro wears out really fast if they make it into the dryer. I was hoping to get some mileage of my Size ones when offspring 2 happens by, but some of the size ones aren't going to make it, I'm afraid. The threads also blew out - I think also related to throwing them carelessly in the dryer.
We got some big organic cotton prefolds called 4-8-4's which means they're pretty thick in the middle - the numbers refer to the layers of cotton in each third of the diaper. The pace of diapering has changed, so we have a couple dozen big diapers, and only ordered 6 of the Thirsties Duo Size Two - and that all seems to be plenty.
As for the G-diapers - I applaud the reverse-pointing velcro tabs as difficult for the willful toddler to remove, but I can't recommend the G-diaper cloth inserts for anything. I have used them sort folded up in another diaper to extend the night-time soakage factor - but that's so ridiculously bulky I stopped. Basically, one good whiz from Mr. Whizzer will soak a G-diaper cloth insert completely through. Then it kind of wads up in the diaper and does nothing.
I remain a HUGE fan of the G-Diaper flushable inserts, which can be doubled up into a large cover (Thirsties or whatever) for super-soakage, long drives, whatever you might need it for - I've even done that overnight.
Along with this change in size has come an improvement in communication and a toughening of the butt, eliminating the need for much, if any diaper cream. Poops are speedily identified and disposed of before they can get mashed around. Mostly, they happen once a day, and I find that the whole cloth-diapers-are-better-for-the-skin thing really comes into play at this point. The difference between two or three hours in a cloth diaper and a few hours in a disposable is pretty dramatic in terms of the happy-looking skin under the cloth, as opposed to the squashed and sweaty-looking skin that appears from under a disposable.
As a result of the swifter poo detection and the absence of diaper cream, cold water wash seems to do a great job once more. I have switched soaps for diaper washing. I was using Seventh Gen laundry soap (they make a concentrated one for diapers that I never did use). I picked up a bottle of Method super concentrated laundry soap and a refill bag. Avoid the "Lavender Cedar" scent - it's kind of patchouli inflected - the other scent is something bland like Mountain Air or Fresh Breeze and it smells more or less like laundry. It was a touch pricey but really easy to use, reusable dispenser, refill bag - incredibly low-waste and because low volume, lower carbon footprint to transport. I found mine at Target.
I'm going to post a video of me folding up some diapers and putting them in the covers, since I couldn't really find information about that and had to make it up myself.
