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Cici
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 8:23pm | IP Logged
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For baby (boy we learned today) due in February I'm thinking of going cloth. For 2 yr old boy (who is constantly scratching at his waist), I'm thinking of switching over (it wasn't until reading previous cloth diaper threads that it dawned on me it could be the diapers bothering him - I always assumed it was a nervous habit. Yes, I know, its amazing with my levels of observation God has blessed me with children, it will be even more a miracle if they turn out okay!  ). 2 year old is a nightime soaker.
I've read other threads (like this one) but I get lost in the all the diaper-speak! Soakers, inserts, prefolds, and wraps! Oh my!
If I make the switch, the diapers and pins aspect makes me really nervouse (see comment above about my mothering capabilities  ). And so was thinking about making these diapers from Chloe Toes.
I'm sure I'm the most long winded person on this forum - so here are my questions...
1) why do you use cloth?
2) if you did, but now use disposables, why?
3) is it a cost effective alternative to disposables? Even with all that added laundry?
Thanks...oh...and I did check out Julies stuff, but it still seemed to have too much diaper-speak. I'm looking for a little more hand holding here. Please?
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SeaStar
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 8:31pm | IP Logged
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I used cloth with my two for awhile, but dh never would use the cloth ones, so then we had both cloth and disposable hanging around, which got to be too much for me. And since dh was and is so helpful with everything baby related, I finally just let him have his disposables. I also had the problem of having kids at the top of the growth charts (dd wore 12 month clothing at 4 months), so adding extra layers in for the cloth diapers really cut down on their wardrobes, even using the crotch extenders that you can buy. There are lots of neat all-in-one cloth diapers available now, though, with velcro (no pins). I gave up the cloth diapers, but I still use my homemade flannel wipes; they are awesome. They do create more laundry, but I think they do a much better job and are less irritating to the skin.
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Rachel May
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 8:35pm | IP Logged
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We did use cloth with the twins because in military housing the utilities were free. Then we kept on with the next 2 until it became too burdensome with all the other laundry.
I recently tried to switch back to cloth because we're back in military housing and have an HE washer. My husband begged me to stop and said he was willing to pay for the disposable diapers because he can't take the smell anymore. 
I used the pin kind with rubber pants first and had the most success with those. After you stab yourself with a pin a few times you learn. They didn't seem to leak much, and that sort of diaper is good for other things like...wiping up vomit in the car. In fact, my dust/wipeup rags are the cloth diapers my 15yo sister wore. 
I've also used Kooshies. They are easy to put on, but ours leaked. They were not so gently worn before I got them so maybe they were just worn out.
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kingvozzo
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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I'd love to hear more about this, too. We're expecting #4 in April, and I've always pondered cloth, but never gone that route. It seems like a huge up-front investment for supplies. I know that would be worth it long term, but what if they don't work out?
And, the laundry question. I already have what seems to be tons of laundry, and we are only a family of 5. What if I add cloth diapers to the mix? Will I drown in a sea of dirty laundry?
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Rebecca
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 10:01pm | IP Logged
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To make it simple, you need a diaper (to soak up moisture) and a cover (to keep the moisture off the clothing). Covers can be pull on for use with standard diapers (rectangle shaped) and pins or velcro to use with precut, fitted diapers (often shaped like an hourglass).
I started with cloth when my oldest was a couple months old because he got awful rashes from the perfume in the diapers. It was so difficult ten years ago to find diapers without perfume that I looked into cloth.
I think it is less expensive to run a small load of diapers each day (or large every other day)than to purchase $15 worth of diapers per week. I also like that there are no chemicals in the cloth diapers. It just seems nicer to have soft cotton on your skin rather than paper IMHO.
I do not use them exclusively anymore but would if I could make the investment in some of the sized wraps that I no longer own. With this my fourth child, some of the covers were nasty so I got rid of them and have not replaced them yet so we use disposables right now.
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Dawnie
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| Posted: Sept 25 2006 at 11:50pm | IP Logged
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 My computer just shut down on me after I had ALMOST finished typing out a nice long post! Here I go again...
These articles should answer your question about whether using cloth is less expensive than using disposables, even w/ all the washing:
Do Cloth Diapers Seem Too Expensive?
Expensive to Wash Cloth Diapers?
I have used cloth diapers for about 5 years, since my oldest dd was almost 2 years old. I was nervous about using pins at first, too, so I used a Snappi instead. I use pins now, and here are a few tips: run the pin through your hair or stick it in a bar of soap and it will easily glide through the diaper fabric; you don't have to push the pin through all those layers of diaper...just push it through the top few layers and it will be secure.
As far as the smell...I have found that cloth diapers produce LESS smell than disposables. This may be b/c my cloth diapers only sit in the pail for 3-4 days before they get washed and disposables would sit in the pail for closer to a week (or more) before the pail was full and needed to be emptied. I also rinse out poopy diapers in the toilet once the baby is no longer exclusively breastfed. The breastfed poop comes right out in the wash.  I used disposable diapers for a few months once I became pregnant last spring, to lighten my laundry load a little and b/c I couldn't stand rinsing the poopy diapers out in the toilet when I was feeling queasy. I switched back to cloth once the morning sickness was gone b/c the smell from the disposables was really bugging me.
I have 5 in my family to wash for, too...yes, cloth diapers adds to the laundry, but I find that if I do 1-2 loads of laundry a day, I keep up pretty well. At times I have a lot to catch up on on the weekends, if someone has wet the bed or done something really messy to produce more laundry. But I don't find that cloth diapering makes that much difference in the total amount of laundry I do. I just have a toddler in diapers now, and I do diapers about twice a week. I know I'll have to wash diapers every other day once the new baby is born, though.
There are tons of cloth diapering products out there now, but here's all you REALLY need:
Cloth diapers: I use Chinese prefolds. They're economical, very absorbant, and long-wearing. I have 2-3 dozen in each of 3 sizes: infant, premium, and toddler. Now, you can buy prefold diapers at Wal-Mart less expensively, but they are not as thick or absorbant. I have used different kinds of fitted diapers, but I have found that they are not as absorbant and not as long-wearing, either. I have some very expensive EcoBaby fitted diapers that are falling apart after only 1 year of use.  I get at least 2 years of use out of my Chinese prefolds.
Waterproof covers: lots of different kinds out there...you can spend anywhere from $2 to over $20 on a cover, depending on what you want. Probably the most economical covers are these pull-on Dappi covers. They only cost about $3 per cover and last a long time. I also really like Bummis diaper covers. They are made with snaps or velcro closures. The snaps are less adjustable, but harder for toddlers to remove and seems to hold up longer. The velcro is very adjustable, but toddlers can remove them and they tend to get clogged w/ fuzz and the velcro tends to come unstitched from the cover. If you really want to get creative, you can knit your own diaper covers. A soaker is a diaper cover knit of wool, which has water-repellant properties. There are a few more sites that sell wool soaker patterns. Let me know if you're interested. Knitting if fun, but it can be an expensive hobby! Again, you can buy vinyl diaper covers at Wal-Mart less expensively, but they will get ripped and fall apart sooner than the covers you buy online through a cloth diapering website.
Diaper pins or a Snappi to secure the diaper on the baby
A diaper pail: You can use any trash can w/ a lid, or you can buy a diaper pail from one of the cloth diapering websites. The actual diaper pails have a little slot in the lid that you can put a deodorizing disk in.
Deodorizing disks
Baby washcloths: if you want to get rid of disposable wipes, too. I have a mix of Gerber baby washcloths and cloth wipes I bought online through a cloth diapering website...can't remember which one now. I think I have about 3 dozen wipes. I just toss them into the diaper pail after I wipe the baby off and wash them w/ the diapers.
HTH!
Dawn
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Katie
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I use Little Lambs cloth diapers. They are mainly sold on Ebay as far as I can tell, and I have been very happy with them. The outer shell is waterproof but is not in the least bit plastic feeling - feels like material. They come in great bright colours. The inside is fleece and they come with a fleece inset that snaps on (the reason it separates is that is makes washing and drying easier and quicker). They are very size adjustable, with poppers (press studs? - not sure what they are called in "American") so you can adjust the size around the waist and around the leg openings. No pins!!! I think they would be a tad big for a newborn, especially if your babies are small, but they make newborn sizes that resell very well. After that, the one size fits all works great.
I don't have a problem with the smell, but I wash most days. I throw dirty dipes in a basket (scrape off as much yuck as I can without getting too close - for breastfed babies I don't bother), then throw the dipes in the washing machine. I use a prewash setting and then wash them very hot, often with some vinegar in the rinse cycle. I usually throw them in the dryer, too.
HTH!
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Karen T
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| Posted: Sept 27 2006 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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I used cloth with all three of mine. I used mostly chinese prefolds with various covers. My prefolds lasted through two kids and are still in my attic awaiting a friend. (I used diaper service with my oldest)
I used the Snappis instead of pins - they are pretty cheap and work great, never came loose or stuck anyone.
I also had some AIO's (all-in-ones) that I made (from a Honeyboy Home pattern) which had a waterproof outer, absorbable soaker and a stay dry liner. they take forever to dry but are great when babysitters, etc have to change baby since most are not used to cloth. They go on just like a disposable and close with velcro-type tabs.
What i used at night were some homemade Fuzzibunz type covers, where the outer is waterproof and the inner is a wicking material, but they have a pocket to hold a diaper or other soaker (we just used the prefolds for this; some use microfiber towels). This way you pull out the soaker to wash and dry, and it dries quickly. I think the Chloes Toes diapers are made like this; the owner, Catharine, is a friend of mine from online and I have tried her trainingpants for my dd but haven't see the diapers up close. The training pants are like this.
btw, all of my kids were super heavy wetters and almost never wet through any of the diaper/cover combos I used. I think most people who try cloth try a few different types before finding a favorite.
I washed diapers 2-3 times a week, even when I had 2 kids in diapers at a time. There really wasn't much odor.
Karen T
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LisaD
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With my first, I used disposables because we didn't have a washer and dryer, and in Hawaii, where we lived at the time, they burn trash for electricity so I didn't feel too bad about the environmental impact. Once we moved to the mainland and bought our own washer and dryer, I started using cloth. I useMother-Ease diapers and Mother-Ease Airflow covers. I use the Sandy's Mother-Ease, since my boys are heavy wetters. I spent about $250-300 in diaper supplies, as opposed to the $2000 in disposables we spent over my oldest child's time in diapers.
I use cloth diapers because they are better for baby, better for the environment, and so much cheaper. I wash diapers 3 times a week, and odor has never been a problem. I use a dry pail, and when washing, soak overnight in cold water with Charlie's Soapand Borax, the run through a cold wash in the morning, then a hot wash with an extra rinse.
I used prefolds (diaper service) and wrap covers for a few months with number 3 child, but didn't like them nearly as well as the Mother-Ease.
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PDyer
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We used chinese prefolds under Bummi's covers. I didn't use pins to close the prefolds; instead I used Snappi's diaper closures. Here's some pictures:
Snappi's in action
We also used Fuzzi Bunz at night.
I used a Rubbermaid lidded container for dirty diaper collection. I stuck a air freshener thing on the underside of the lid to control smells. I washed diapers daily, one load/day so the container really didn't get a chance to get too smelly. I liked using cloth. We switched to disposables when we put our house on the market.
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Cici
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| Posted: Sept 28 2006 at 9:04am | IP Logged
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Patty,
Why did you switch when you put your house on the market - just too much going on? I ask b/c it looks like our house (however unfortunately) might (possibly maybe?) be going on the market in the next few months.
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PDyer
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| Posted: Sept 28 2006 at 9:37am | IP Logged
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Cici wrote:
Patty,
Why did you switch when you put your house on the market - just too much going on? I ask b/c it looks like our house (however unfortunately) might (possibly maybe?) be going on the market in the next few months. |
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I think if it had been only the house going on the market, I would have been OK. But my husband had just started a new job with a long commute and was heading into busy season (he's a tax accountant); I was struggling with a terrible inflammatory arthritis flare and was considering re-starting my medication which was going to require me to wean my daughter who nursed exclusively, when she had been refusing all solids and bottles. Oh, and I had justed started homeschooling my son.  So it was a combination of things, really, but putting the house on the market tipped the balance into overload for me.
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: Can we talk about cloth diapers again?
