It’s been several weeks, and I am now sold on cloth diapering. I can’t believe it myself. I mean, I hate the laundry. Mostly, it’s the folding that gets to me, which may be why a load of cloth diapers doesn’t bother me — I don’t fold them! (Hey, we’re all entitled to our short cuts, right?)
I have not settled on one brand of diaper, but I have settled on a type — the pocket diapers. These require no safety pins or fancy ties. I don’t even think I own a safety pin. They look just like disposable diapers — only made out of different material. They fasten the same way, using either velcro or snaps instead of the sticky material disposables use. They are just as easy to put on and take off as a disposable diaper. The only thing is, you have to stuff an insert inside them. Technically, there are diapers that don’t require you to do this, but being able to remove the absorbent part makes them easier to wash and dry. Also, it allows me to customize the diaper, using multiple layers for overnight protection. (In fact, if you have an overnight heavy wetter and the disposables aren’t cutting it, you may want to try cloth just for overnight!)
These diapers are just as leak proof as disposables. While some types/brands may work better for you, there is no longer any reason that cloth diapering means changing outfits more often. This is no longer a disadvantage of cloth.
Poop is no big deal. I bought these flushable liners — they kind of look like dryer sheets. You put them in the diaper and they catch the poop. Then you toss the liner, poop and all, into the toilet and flush. The diaper goes into the diaper pail. I don’t have to rinse unless the liner gets bunched up…which it has, but even then it’s not usually that big of a deal. At first I thought I had to get every last bit of it out but you just need to kind of get the big stuff. The washer handles the rest.
As for the laundry….look at it this way. 2-3 times a week you have to take the diapers out to the trash. With cloth, 2-3 times a week you have to take the diapers down to the washer. So, no extra time on that step. Putting them in the dryer takes seconds. Taking them out and throwing them in a drawer (did I mention I don’t bother folding) takes very little time as well. I put it all together and figure I am maybe spending 10-15 minutes a week on this.
So yeah, it’s not 100% effortless, but it just doesn’t seem like that much time, especially spread out over the entire week. Here’s what I get for my 10-15 minutes:
1. About $800 worth of savings over the course of my new baby’s diaper life. (Yes, this takes into account soap, water, and electricity.) Note: these savings are for the diapers I have chosen to use. You can get cheaper and more expensive.
2. Thousands fewer diapers in land fills.
3. Softer material on baby’s butt. I think this is what really sold me. After 2 years of disposables and 2 days of cloth, my son preferred the cloth.
4. Fewer diaper rashes. (on average)
5. Earlier potty training. (on average)
So, I’ve decided it’s worth it. Try it if you like…there are certainly plenty of reasons to do so and it may not be as difficult as you imagine, especially if you are still imagining Gerber rags and diaper pins. But be warned — there are no cloth diapers at regular stores. You do need to order real cloth diapers from a variety of internet retailers. Try The Diaper Pin for information, reviews, and trusted on-line stores. Not all diapers are created equal, so make sure to read the reviews.
Here is a list of the diapers I have used with my thoughts:
1. Fuzzi Bunz — My first and one of my favorites. This diaper has a higher rise than some of the others, so it doesn’t sag as much on my baby. I have had no leaks unless I don’t put enough liners in overnight.
2. Hugga Buns — Ok. They’re cheaper than the Fuzzi Bunz but I think they are designed for a chubbier baby/toddler. My skinny boy’s bottom can’t seem to hold them up as well as I’d like.
3. Dream-Eze — I accidentally bought fitted diapers rather than all-in-ones as I meant to, but these are still good diapers. They just require a wrap. They are actually my favorite overnight diapers because they hold about a ton of pee and that’s about how much my son needs them to hold.
4. Bum Genius — This may become my favorite, but I have only just discovered it. This is a ONE SIZE diaper that proposes to fit babies from newborn to potty training. The advantage, of course, is no money spent sizing up. They look nice, have a trim fit even though you have to fold part of them down to fit a newborn, and are easy to adjust. I am still waiting for a bit more use but if I like these, I will probably buy about 18 and make these the bulk of my diaper stash.