Adventures in Cloth Diapering

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As a new mom, you’re riddled with questions and decisions, like formula or breastmilk? Should we co-sleep? Disposable or cloth diapers?  Many of these questions can be easily answered for some, but others may like to do research and weigh the options before deciding.  I’ll be focusing on my decision to cloth diaper and what I’ve learned five months into the game.

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WHY?!

My reasonings for using cloth diapers are environmental and financial, in that order.  Some may argue that washing cloth diapers takes a ton of energy and it almost cancels itself out when compared to disposables.  It bothers me to think about how many diapers a baby goes through and how much they contribute to landfills on an annual basis (full disclosure: we DO use overnight disposables and disposables when traveling – not about to die on the sword for this one!), so anything we can do to reduce our carbon footprint in that regard, the better.  And although the upfront cost can be high, cloth diapers more than pay for themselves, especially if you’re planning to have more than one child and can use them again! Also, let’s face it, cloth diapers are pretty darn cute – my little guy rarely wears pants around the house (it hasn’t been cold enough to justify having another unnecessary layer of clothing on him yet!), and cloth diapers just seem to be more like an article of clothing versus an actual diaper – at least that’s what I tell myself.

cloth diaper I

WHERE TO BEGIN

Just like researching anything, the Internet can be a blessing and a curse – there is so much information out there about cloth diapering, I didn’t know where to begin.  First off, there are several different types of diapers – all-in-ones, pockets, pre-folds… This is a useful, basic infographic that will give you a quick rundown of each type. I found this blog post to be incredibly helpful – 25 different cloth diapers, all tested and reviewed.  Amazon was also a great resource – I spent countless hours reading reviews trying to determine what would be best.  The best advice I can give you is to only buy one or two of the same brand/style to see if it works for you and your baby.  Everyone is different; just like bottles, you may find that some work and others don’t – so I wouldn’t encourage you to buy too many of one brand, until you know for sure.  I’ve found that a combination of all-in-ones and covers with inserts worked best for us.  We tried Thirsties, Rumparoos, Alva Baby, and Flips. We settled into a nice combination of Alvas and Flips.  Cloth diapers are becoming easier to find in retail stores, but in my experience, you’re going to find the biggest selection online. You could also find smaller selections in some local shops.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Infinite Creations Gift Shoppe in Summerville sells cloth diapers and detergent!

cloth diaper II

THE LAUNDRY CONUNDRUM

Poopy diapers in the wash?  Gross.  Actually, not really… we’re all used to poop and every other bodily fluid at this point, and for me, it’s no different from when one of our dogs would get sick or make a mess – there’s only so much you can hose off before you just throw it in the wash and hope for the best!  We have two large diaper pail liners that we alternate in a small garbage can – and I run a load of laundry every day or two, depending on how many we go through during the day. I haven’t yet felt the need to spray the diapers beforehand and the two cycles we run gets them nice and clean.  What’s strange is I despise doing laundry (who doesn’t?), but oddly enough, I don’t mind washing diapers. Maybe because the loads tend to be smaller and more controlled, and folding the laundry doesn’t take over my entire bed, and they all get put away in the same spot. I alternate between original Tide and Charlie’s Soap and each load goes through two cycles – one quick 20 minute wash without any detergent, on cold – one regular cycle with detergent, hot wash and cold rinse.  The inserts can be placed in the dryer, but the covers shouldn’t be dried in the dryer, they should air dry.  I found that the sun does wonders bleaching out stains that weren’t removed from the washer – it’s like magic!  

cloth diaper III

REUSABLE WIPES

We also use reusable wipes (I know it, it sounds like I’m a glutton for punishment) – and I must say, it is well worth the extra effort.  I purchased these on Amazon and fold them in half and add a solution to my wipes holder.  I’ve found that they are a lot sturdier than disposable wipes and cover more surface, so I can get away with using one (or two if it’s a total disaster) versus multiple of the disposables. For solution, you can make your own or buy some pre-made solution.  

cloth diaper IV

TRIAL AND ERROR

I’ve found that much of parenthood has been trial and error and cloth diapering is no exception.  It’s not for everyone, and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about it until I gave it a try.  If you’re on the fence, I would recommend giving it a shot, or reach out if you have questions!  

For those of you who have tried cloth diapering, what is your take on the experience? Let me know if you’ve had success (or failure!) in your cloth diapering adventures!