ok, so i'm not pregnant yet, but i'm curious. does anyone actually use them. in theory, they seem like such a good idea, since they create less trash, and are so much cheaper.....but...it seems like an awful lot of trouble, and possibly gross (does your house smell like baby poop all the time?). i have mentioned it to a few people, and they act like i must be crazy for even considering it. i can see how it would be pretty much impossible to send your kid to daycare in them, but i don't work outside of the home, so that wouldn't be an issue. i am mostly interested i guess, in the interest of saving money, since i am not planning on going back to work, and every little bit will help... even if you only used them at home, and used disposables when you went out, it would still cut down a lot on throwaway diapers. anyone want to share their experiences? my mom said it wasn't that big of a deal, but then she never really had a choice. my sisters are 35 and 37, so cloth was all there was. i suppose there were disposables when i was a baby, but i don't think mom used em because of $$ issues.
Definitely use cloth diapers. I switched my daughter about 3 months ago, and couldn't be more happier. I spent @ $100 on 24 diapers and 6 covers. A newborn will probably need more though, my daughter is 16 months old. And, I'll never have to buy another diaper! I figure i was spending @ $20/week on disposables. I have prolly another year of diapers, that's over $1000!! I'll save $900!! It really isn't that hard. If she poops, I just shake it out in the toilet, and rinse with hot water. If she pees, I just rinse. Infant poo is different than toddler poo though. It may require a little more work. But, trust me, you will build a poo immunity anyway! It's not gross once you've had the baby. Get a bucket of some sort to soak them in. If you put some white vinegar in with it, they won't stink up the house. Everyone thought I was nuts, too. But, who cares? It's better for you ($$), the baby (less rashes), and the environment. A win win win situation.
thanks for the reply. the "poo immunity" comment struck me as funny. i'm hoping my hubby will get it too. he usually pukes if he has to clean up dog poop or anything else gross like that. i am glad to hear that it's working out for you. i'm encouraged at the prospect. disposables are so expensive, and it seems like a lot of babies are allergic to them. do you revert to disposables when you take the baby out? i don't know why everyone is so down on the idea. usually they are the same people that cannot fathom why you would want to breastfeed, when you could just as easily...drive to the store, buy some 20 dollar a can formula, and a bottle, and some liners, go home, heat the water, tediously measure formula, feed to baby, rinse and repeat...hahaha a sort of funny story...i was talking to my sister a while back, i think about breastfeeding. she seemed sort of surprised that i was going to try it (when the time came). anyway we talked about some other related things, i guess, and then she said something like "are you going to turn into one of those hippies that lives out in the country and lets all the kids sleep in the bed with them, and doesn't wear hairspray, cause it bad for the environment?"
you can get cloth diapers at thrift stores for cheap. i actually like washing the shitty ones, i go outside and use a hose so its easy and a benifit to the shrubs.
ps fergot to tell ya... i reccommend a diaper service at first, their cloth diapers that you just throw in a bucket and the company comes and takes them away and washes them. i suggest this cause kids shit a lot more often the first few months. prior to this i suggest borrowing other peoples kids for a while to see if you really want some of your own.
chaos, thanks for the advice. i'm not real sure about the cloth diaper thing, but i am sure about the kid part. i have borrowed other people's kids, and i still want one.actually even if i decided to be brave and use the cloth diapers, i'm not sure i would do it right after the baby was born, on account of how i will probably be pretty overwhelmed with other endeavors, and also, as you said, tiny babies crap a lot. by the way, what do the neighbors say about you hosing poopy diapers off in the yard...rofl. our neighbors have always hated us, no matter what, but i'm sure it would be interesting to hear what they would have to say about that
I loved cloth diapering my kids (they are now 7 and 9). I saved so much money and I really felt that I was doing something for the environment, something that others might be inspired by possibly (though I don't know if it really did). If you get into cloth diapering you will find that there are tons of mom's who are nutty (in a good way, lol) on the subject of cloth diapering. You can really see this if you go over to mothering.com and check out their diapering forums, it's a great place! There are lots of work at home moms who make their living by sewing cloth diapers too. There is such a wide range of cloth diapers available too. You can get the plain old cloth squares and plastic pants like our moms used all the way to these beautiful fancy all in one diapers that are just as easy to use as any disposable. The only time I didn't use cloth was when we went on a three week road trip. I had a friend who went on a road trip and still brought her cloth. They just had to make extra stops at laudry mats. She said it wasn't too much of a problem. I used them even if we were going out for the day. You can get water proof bags to seal the dirty diapers in and are washable or you can just tie them up into old plastic grocery bags or use ziplocks and take them back home in your diaper bag to wash when you get back. Newborns do poop quite a bit, but the poop of a completely breastfed is almost without a smell. It's not at all gross, you'll be surprised. I didn't even bother rinsing those ones but tossed them right in the wash with no problems. I've been in some houses where the people use disposables and their houses smelled like smelly diapers too. I guess it just depends on how tight you have the lid on the pail or garbage can and how often you wash a load or take them out of the house. Also I think it might be what you feed you kid too, lol! Kathy
My sister used cloth ones, lots of fun learning how to fold them and work them. And better for the environment. But I did sometimes get that job of the poo hosing. ekkkk!!! Leakage was sometimes a problem, or maybe I just sucked at putting them on the boy.
LOL I am and just can't wait Anyway diapers. No experience personally, well apart from wearing them. I'm all for carrying on the family tradition of sorts. There's a useful article (two in fact) on www.parentingweb.com/misc-index.html about cloth diapering, and plenty of others nuggets of wisdom lurking around the net. TTFN Sage
Definitely use cloth. And definitely breastfeed. Don't let other people belittle the decisions you make about mothering. Make your own mind up about how you'll parent based on your comfort level, beliefs, and wants for your children. I use cloth all the time- at home, out and about, in the pool, at nighttime. I feel really guilty using disposables. They blow up like balloons when those gel thingies get wet and they droop and sag. The baby's butt gets the little crystal thingies stuck on it, and I feel like such crap. Then of course you have to throw them away, and I just hate adding more crap (literally) to our huge pile of garbage. I feel much better using cloth- even when I have to swish them in the toilet to get the poop off! Buy a good pair of rubber dish-washing gloves and you'll be all set! But, don't beat yourself up if you use a disposable now and again. They have many different kinds of diaper pails, so they don't stink up the house. The diaper service in my area is about $17 a week, just about the same cost as disposables, so we bought our own supply. I'd start with prefolds when the baby is newborn, since they poop every 15 minutes or so. Prefolds (the old-fashioned rectangular shaped diapers) are cheap, easy to wash, and they dry fast. You'll have to pin them, but you'll get the hang of it. Around 5 months of age, they stop pooping after every meal, so you can buy some nice fitted diapers to use. I like these because they're super easy to use (velcro or snap closures- no pins!), they are more absorbent, less chance of a leak through the leg of the diaper, and you have the option of getting CUTE fabric prints. They're a little more expensive, but well worth it. We use prefolds and fitteds mostly, and a few all-in-ones and pockets, and we love them all. Good for you for wanting to learn more about cloth!!! Right on, girl! Do head over to mothering.com, by the way, you will learn a TON about natural living. See you over there!
I bought cloth fitted diapers on ebay for Dakota. But DH was so freaked out by them that we didn't use them. Now I wish I had used them. I think about buying more now, but don't know if it's worth the money at this point in time. Dakota will be two in a couple of weeks. I hope he'll be ready to potty learn soon. But so far he doesn't seem interested in it at all. DH doesn't change diapers much any more. One day he went back to the bedroom to change Dakota. All at once I heard this horrible noise and lots of cursing. When I went back to the bedroom, Dakota was on the changing table by himself and poor DH was across the room losing his lunch. I've got to say though that before we starting figuring out what things Dakota was allergic to his diapers were really really gross smelling. Anyway, what do you guys think about switching to cloth at this late stage? For new moms, I would definitely say cloth is best. I really regret not using them. For financial and environmental reasons. Kathi
I use Bummis covers over my prefolds and they hold them in place so I don't have to use pins. There is also this thing called a Snappi, I believe, that takes the place of pins. There are a gazillion options about cloth diapers, it was kinda overwhelming at first for me, but once I did a little research, I felt more comfortable with it. I don't regret it at all!
thanks everyone for all the good information. i briefly checked out mothing.com last night, seems very cool there. i'll have to go there and really read up on things. i think i will at least give cloth diapering a try,especially since you all have so highly recommended it. december, thanks for the info on the specific types of diapers. i will admit to knowing nothing about them, but i'm going to do some reasearch. the only types that i knew of were the white flannel type that you buy at walmart, or whatever.
Hey, nightmarehippiegirl, I'll give you any info you need on the subject! I have two in diapers right now, so it's day-to-day adventure, LOL. Kathi, we switched when my DS was 5 months old and it was a smooth transition. 'They' say that kids potty learn quicker in cloth diapers because they feel more wet on their bum. Look into the new pocket trainers by Happy Heiny's and other brands. Pretty cool!
i use chinese prefold diapers with prowrap covers. i bought mine from www.earthbaby.com They have a nice economy diaper package. i got that package, and then bought a few extra covers and diapers. i eventually had to upgrade to bigger diapers and covers. The site has alot of good info on washing diapers and all that stuff.i admit, now that my son is 2 and eating solid foods it's not quite as easy, but i still love cloth diapers and would never switch to disposables! Cloth diapers rock! blessings, ~tree ps. when it was time to upgrade i found used covers on ebay for a great deal!
I use mother ease diapers. They have grown with my daughter from 3 months old till now-almost 2. They adjust as they grow, snaps-no pins or folding. They are like puting on snaped shorts. Really easy. I love them. Check out www.mother-ease.com . They are worth the money I got a package of 12 diapers, 6 liners, 4 covers for $250 I think. I just asked for them for my baby shower. Mothering.com is also great. And breastfeeding diapers are alot better than formula. I breast feed for 18 months, I was said when she decided to stop. Anyway, wish you all the luck.
OK, I am a move to the country and family bed and no-makeup wearing, nonshaving, no hairspraying, organic granola, breastfeed more than two YEARS kind of mama so, yeah. I did cloth. Here's why: comfort: mine. I hate the smell of the paper diaper aisle. kiddo's: oxygen helps keep rashes at bay the planet's: I heart trees. Economics: cost for keeping in paper diapers cost fordiaper wipes cost for medinces needed for rashes Here's how: I had cheapie covers from Walmart. I also got the first three dozen from there, and picked up used as some wore out. I lucked onto some Nikkys at a thrift store at a year. I had two sets of diaper pins as well for hanging out in the yard. I sprang for service the first two months, and again at 14 mos or so. I did laundry alternating days. My bucket system was weird. I had a small one at the loo. A larger one was on the porch. Both had lids.This is important. I 'd shake off solids and place the diaper in the small bucket. the small bucket had water and baking soda (if that doesn't work, try the vinegar, it's a pH balance thing) At the end of the day, the bucket would be 3/4 full. Shake the bucket (the rinse) and drain the water off into the loo. Then out to the porch, where the other bucket waited. Here the diapers were not submerged, but had more baking soda tossed on them if they were aromatic. I simply took the diapers to the laundromat (I walked, and the diapers rode in the stroller as the kid rode in the backpack and my clothes (twice a week) were in a backpack slung on my front. BTW, I'm 5-2 and weighed 115 max. Travelling, I did a similar thing using trashbags without liquid. Did pay for presoak on those loads.
Cloth diapers are amazing! Dont use that disposable crap. We use ALL IN ONE (AIO) and some are hemp. They have a diaper cover, and everything. so there is no folding etc. Just put it on and baby is free.
