While I was pregnant, I decided that I would like to try cloth diapers for our little guy. Why? Well, a few reasons, really. First, the cost. While the initial cost of cloth diapers is greater, in the long run they are much more economical. Second, babies who are in cloth diapers generally potty train more easily. This is because they can feel when they are wet, whereas the disposables are so good at soaking up the moisture that the discomfort of being in a wet diaper is not there, and there's less motivation to stop peeing in a diaper. I also liked the idea of being a little more earth-friendly, but this was just an added bonus for me. It really didn't influence my decision one way or another.
My problem with taking on a cloth diapering system was that I had almost no experience in cloth diapers and no idea where I should even begin. My only experience with cloth diapers before now was when I myself wore them, and I really don't remember much about that time in my life. :)
Thank goodness for amazon.com! I searched for cloth diapers on their website, read a bunch of reviews, and eventually found the perfect fit for me. A company from Australia makes a cloth diaper kit, with everything you need from birth to potty-trained. They also guarantee them to last through at least two kids. It was on sale on amazon.com for about $450, so we bought it.
So basically, these diapers consist of the outer shell and the cloth diaper, which folds up and is tucked into the shell.
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| cloth diaper (folded) and outer shell |
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| cloth diaper inside shell |
The kit came with four different sizes of shells and cloth diapers (or "nappies," as the Aussies call them). Six shells and 24 nappies in each size. The outer shells only need to be washed if they get poop on them, so six is enough to last through all the nappies. Laundry needs to be done every couple of days.
I was a little worried about scooping poop off of diapers and rinsing them off before throwing them in the wash, but with these I don't have to do that. Since I'm nursing, Crew won't have solid poops until he starts eating solid foods. And at that point the kit has included 800 disposable liners to place on top of the nappie, which can then be tossed in the trash at each diaper change. Right now when I change a diaper, the cloth (and cover if it gets dirty) just goes in a 5 gallon bucket until it's time to wash. Then I dump the bucket into the washing machine and run a cold rinse cycle, and then add detergent and run a hot wash cycle with extra rinse. At first I dried the nappies in the dryer, but last week we got a clothesline and now I hang them to dry outside.
Once the nappies are dry, I fold them all so they are ready to go when Crew needs a diaper change. Easy peasy.
We still use disposables at night, although the kit came with two nighttime inserts that are extra absorbent. We also use disposables when we go out for more than a couple hours. They're just easier to pack.
One small downside is that they are a little bulky.
But once the onesie is pulled down and buttoned, it's hardly noticeable!
I am so glad we decided to do the cloth diapers. They really are pretty easy to do, and it is so nice to know that I am not just throwing money away every time I change a diaper.
