Reasons for the switch:
- First of all, I was just curious!
- Cost savings. This wasn't a huge factor in my decision because Roo is hopefully less than a year away from potty training...and she wears Luvs diapers, which are quite a bit cheaper than Pampers or Huggies. But if you add everything up, I am still saving a lot of money, and I will definitely see the savings when we have another baby or two.
- Going Green! I like the idea of not filling up my trash cans (and in turn the landfills) with disposable diapers. My house already smells better, and I just like the feeling of overall wasting less.
- Now is a good time to learn: I am home all day, I only have one, older child in diapers (I think it would have stressed me out to try cloth diapers for the first time on a newborn), and I have free utilities so washing cloth diapers is free...for now anyway!
- It's SO easy! I can't believe I didn't use them MUCH sooner...I would have saved tons of money if I'd used them on Cameron. He could only wear Huggies (he rashed with other brands) and he didn't potty train until 3.5, so that was an expensive 3.5 years! Like I said, never going back!
- It's NOT gross! Well, not any grosser than squishy, used disposables, I think! Just dump the poo in the toilet and then throw the diapers in a waterproof bag to be washed. Easy! The prefolds are really absorbant, so they only feel damp to the touch, even if they're soaked.
- They're CUTE! I went with the prefolds with a waterproof cover option (you wouldn't believe how many types, styles, fabrics, brands, etc of cloth diapers are out there! I went with the cheapest option!). I bought gender-neutral colors of diaper covers for future use, although it was tough to not buy some of the cute pinks and purples they have!
- It took me a few practices to learn how to fold a diaper around Allie, but we're both used to it now, after just a few days!
- I have no doubts that they are more comfortable for her too. Soft cloth against your skin vs papery-plastic? I was warned by some friends who use cloth diapers that sometimes older babies like Allie will balk at the change in sensations on their skin. But luckily, Roo likes them!
- The are a tad bulkier, but I've had no problems fitting any of her pants over.
- Depending on which style you choose (seriously, there's tons to choose from!), you don't need many. I bought 18 prefolds (those white, fluffy cloth diapers that most people use only for burp cloths) and 4 waterproof covers. I will wash a load every other day.
- Most people that I talked to who cloth diaper also use cloth wipes. I haven't made this switch yet...not sure that I will. One change at a time for me!
The diaper covers I chose are called "Thirsties Duo Wraps". Those white snaps make them adjustable in size, so they will fit babies from 18-40 pounds. They also make them from 6-18 pounds, which I will get for any new babies that come our way.
8 comments:
If I had to do it all over again, I would have totally used these.
Good for you!
I tried them with Karen but always worried about leaking. So I stopped. Maybe I should have tried with an older kid like you said and not had the stress of a newborn included. Hopefully Isaac will train soon and I'll be DONE. After 11+ years.
Oh DeAnn, I bet that'll be a happy day for you!!! I didn't know you tried cloth diapers with Karen! The diaper covers are pretty leak-proof. She always wets a lot when she naps, and even though the diaper itself is pretty soaked, she is always completely dry. Both my kids wet so much at night that their jammies and sheets are sometimes wet...even with disposables...so it can't get any worse with leaking! We've cut back their liquid intake in the evenings, and that helps, but I figure NO diaper (cloth or disposable) is 100% leakproof ALL the time.
I have to confess, I tried cloth diapers 19 years ago with Savannah and she messed in it once and that was enough for me. I bagged it up and threw it in the garbage. I told myself that I would go green with everything else in my life if I could have the luxury of disposable diapers. I get sick at the slightest thing and always admired those who didn't have a problem with cloth diapers. My mom had made beautiful ones with the velcro fasteners and liners as well. I ended up giving them away, lol! Good luck to you and Roo.
I'm so glad you like them! And how nice that Roo likes them, too! When our washing machine broke (about a month ago) and I put Hazel in a disposable, she cried and cried and kept bringing me her cloth ones. I agree-- I'd much rather wear cloth than paper! Those duo wraps look nice. Maybe we'll get some next time around!
LOVE that you are loving cloth and you are going to inspire me to go back to cloth! Cloth diapering (nappies we call them here in Australia) is a serious addiction for some given all the luxurious options that are available these days! WAY more options then our mothers EVER had with us.
What brand are your prefolds???
I did cloth diapers on Carter, but not on Harrison. I had a lot of reasons for doing them: stats show earlier potty training, green living, better for skin, etc...
but really I did it because we had a diaper service- they brought me diapers and covers, and they took the diapers away, professionally cleaned them, and brought us clean ones. It was effortless. Can you explain how you wash them a bit more? The part about the waterproof bag? THANKS! I never learned how to clean my own!
Well Mellissa, I've only been doing this for a few days, so I'm NO expert...but here is what I do so far:
Wet diapers to into a waterproof hanging bag. The inside liner of the bag is waterproof, and the bag sinches shut, so it keeps smells at bay. On Laundry Day, I dump all the diapers, covers and the waterproof bag into the washing machine. I do a rinse on cold water first (I'm just following what everyone told me to do, this is NOT my own method!) and then using a very small amount of detergent, I do a Hot water heavy cycle. Then I do an additional cold water rinse. The covers and the bag hangs to dry, and the diapers go in to the dryer. Easy!
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