Cloth Diapers

Jennifer - posted on 07/02/2009

I actually found a diaper service in our area today - so the work is no longer an issue (and the service is still cheaper than disposable diapers). I think we are going to try it out and see how it goes. Thanks ladies!

Libby - posted on 07/02/2009

I use cloth diapers...for burp cloths. LOL. I don't think I could do the cloth diapers but my friend did for her first. For her second she decided not to and just decided to recycle instead. Perhaps if you find that the cloth diapers just isn't for you then you could do a trade off and be adamant about the whole recycling thing so you feel like you're still making a big difference when it comes to the environment. I have two living children and am pregnant now. Even though I babysit and am home during most days, I still don't think I'd have the time or patience for them. I think breast feeding is my extent of cutting costs.

Jennifer - posted on 07/02/2009

Thank you very much ladies, all of your experiences and advice have helped. I will take a look at the web sites that you all have given me too.

Cathy - posted on 07/02/2009

I find cloth diapers a lot more reliable than disposable too. I used disposable for a week while we were away and the amount of full clothing changes I had to make, due to explosions, was unbelievable. Definatly try some pockets or all in ones, they go on just like disposables, and are really easy.

Kate - posted on 07/02/2009

Cloth diapers are completely worth it! You can buy ones that work just like disposables (either velcro or snaps to put them on) but are MUCH better for baby. I sew all my own and it's super cheap. I only do 1 - 2 extra loads of laundry per week and diaper laundry is easy -- there's no ironing or folding or anything. It's absolutely worth it.

www.bumgenius.com Look at those. I have sewn some similar to that. www.rctdiapers.webs.com This is my pattern.

Guggie - posted on 07/02/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I am just concerned with the work aspect of it with having 2 other children. And do they still use pins like they used to? that is another concern, because right now my youngest is 5, and a little snot, so I could see him trying to do a number of things with the pins.

Oh dear, no. This is not your grandma's day and age! Cloth diapering is quite modern now and you can buy fuzzy bunnies, gms, all kinds of cool diapers. They even come in different colors and patterns.

Guggie - posted on 07/02/2009

I think it is worth it if you have dependable equipment (washer dryer, good pre-folds) and if you don't see a surge in utility costs, or for example if you rent and don't pay for your utility.

JMO I dislike cloth diapering. My husband hates it even more so we are quite non-hippy in that department. We do elimination communication and use Huggies when out and about.

Oh I guess that could make me super hippy in a way hmm.

Anastasia - posted on 07/01/2009

Depends on what you want to spend on them. I spent a little more (I only have one child), and bought an entire stash of pocket diapers, which basically are an absorbent inner layer that I stuff in between a layer of material that acts as a barrier (to keep the stuff IN) and a layer of material that allows wetness to pass through it into the middle core. There's obviously still the option of the old fashioned diapers with pins (and I have used them when I was younger babysitting), but there are plenty of alternatives, including all-in-ones, pockets, fitted diapers with covers. There's also a product called a Snappi that is used in place of pins on the plain prefold diapers. There's a cloth diapering mom's circle group if you want to check it out further. As far as mine go, it takes me about 20 extra minutes to stuff the diapers if I wash them all at once, but I choose to do all this at time allows when laundry is done so that during changes, it is quite literally the same amount of work as changing a disposable.

Janese - posted on 07/01/2009

No, there are so many types that use snaps, velcro, pins are pretty much a thing of the past. The ones I ordered are known as "one size" in that they actually "grow" with your baby, so you do not need to keep buying more diapers as the baby grows. They have both options of ordering the snaps or the velcro to keep them secure as well. Some diapers you only need to wash the inner liner instead of the whole things. The wealth of selection these days are due to many moms who invented them to deal with common problems that may arise. The wonder that is technology!

Jennifer - posted on 07/01/2009

I am just concerned with the work aspect of it with having 2 other children. And do they still use pins like they used to? that is another concern, because right now my youngest is 5, and a little snot, so I could see him trying to do a number of things with the pins.

Jennifer - posted on 07/01/2009

Thanks I'll take a look at the web site.

Jeanne - posted on 07/01/2009

I used both and definatelty saved money. Cloth is a bit of work if you have your hands full but enviromentally and economically a better choice. On long days out, is when I used disposables for convenience sake and cloth at home and on short outings. My eldest son worked out how to get out of his disposables quite a few times but not his cloth ones. Also, just make sure you use an inner liner to absorb the excess fluid away from their skin for cloth.

Happy changings.

Janese - posted on 07/01/2009

Hi! I am pregnant with my 2nd and am going to go with cloth this time. My reasons for going this route, other than the cost, is the safety. It turns out there are a lot of very nasty chemicals in disposables, like those little crystals you might see if a diaper breaks. Ew! Had I known about this (the big toxins are Dioxin and Sodium Polyacrylate) I would have never used them for my firstborn. You can read more about this here: http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/why-choo... Actually, that blog is a wonderful and helpful place to start, it helped me tremendously. After reading and doing my homework, I was able to pick a diaper that I think will work for us. There are so many diapers out there now that aren't as hard to deal with as I originally thought. It seems overwhelming at first, (so many acronyms and styles of diapers!) but if you take it slow, you'll figure out what will work best for you too! Hope this helps!