We're almost five months in and totally sold on cloth, wouldn't have it any other way, we tell total strangers on the street with babies that they should be using cloth. I am a believer.
I meant to write this post for a good while so that I can convince even more of you that cloth is so the way to go. Today I found the perfect motivation as one of you is pregnant with twins (yay!!) and emailed me to ask me about the ins and outs of cloth diapering twins (thank you Nicole from Glam Granola). Well I just hit send and am afraid I wrote you a novel... so I figured I mind as well post that novel on here ... right. now.
here goes.
We assumed our babies would be small (smaller then they actually were) so we originally went with these bummis newborn covers along with these organic preemie prefolds and snappis, we would then hold the prefold on the baby with the snappi and put the cover over. For the first week we used disposables until they got rid of all the sticky black stuff. Originally I admit we used disposables at night for fear that the wetness of the cloth would wake them up (we were soo soo wrong). I think we bought roughly 40 of the diapers and about 10 covers to start with and we were planning to wash them every second day.
Here's what I didn't like about the original system we had going:
1. I do not like the velcro fasteners on the covers (they stick to everything when you wash them even though you velcro them back on themselves before washing (bummis do make covers with snaps but I haven't tried them)
2. they seemed to hold the smell really badly
3. the covers dug into their legs (and they had small legs)
What we do now (and have done since they were about two months old when i discovered flip one size covers)...
Flip OS Cover via |
We use the next size up of organic prefolds by bummis (the infant size which I am told will likely be good enough until they are potty trained), along with a fleece liner (I bought the bummis ones but you can cut up a bunch of fleece yourself... this makes the baby feel less wetness) and a flip one size fits all cover (which I love love love love love). I fold the prefold into thirds the long way and then lay the fleece on top and then lay it in the cover and voila... you have the diaper.
I do wash the diapers usually every day, sometimes every second but I just do it that often because then there's less to put back out and less to fold (I loathe folding). We have 8 covers now which works well if we launder every day or so. I only change the covers at night and when they um poo.
As for how we handle the dirty diapers... I really recommend fuzzibunz hanging diaper pail... you throw the dirty diapers in it and then it unzips at the bottom so you unzip and shake them into the laundry and then toss the bag in too (see... not so nasty afterall). We also have two small laundry pails that we sometimes put the bag in, otherwise you can just hook the bag around a door knob. We have a front loading machine and we put it through a rinse cycle first so that everything gets nice and wet and then we run it through a whites cycle. We use Country Save detergent - we started out with Nellies and it just didn't take the smell out but country save works really well for us.
I breastfeed... which makes this whole thing easier... now I could write a novel on how that all went down and how awesome it is NOW so if you have questions ask away... if you do use formula you will need to use a paper liner and flush it as that stuff won't just wash away.
For going out of the house (which you will need to do in order to STAY SANE) you will need a wetbag - I like these bags with the outside compartment.
For diaper cream I use liveclean non-pertrolum jelly and it does fine with the cloth.
Now anyone will tell you that an AIO (all in one) is easier but it is going to cost you a lot. At this point we've spent roughly $500 - $600 total on diapering stuff and we likely will need to spend very little more until they are potty trained (compare that to roughly $2500 PER CHILD on disposables), not to mention that disposables stink... like literally they smell awful.
The hardest part of cloth diapering thus far is responding to people (or should I say defending my position) on why we are using cloth diapers... people think they are gross.
Bottom line in my opinion... you do need to decide you are just going to do it and stick with it because disposibles are more convenient but like I already said... they stink... a lot... and will burn a hole in your wallet...
have I convinced you?
I hope so.
great post. i think it is a personal choice just like breastfeeding. hopefully people will always do what's best for the child and not themselves! i mean let's be honest changing diapers is kinda gross period.
ReplyDeleteI love that you did a post on this!
ReplyDeleteI don't even have a baby, but this is super informative! Glad to hear that it is doable with 2 babies, that is impressive.
ReplyDelete@Nessa @{Casa Braaflat} - yes a personal choice but i think people don't realize how it isn't all scraping diapers and giant pins anymore!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the post, Ashley! I spent a good hour last night online researching all the different brands and links you sent, and I am confident that we can do this! It's so great to know that it's manageable (especially since everyone I have mentioned it to looks at me like I am out of my mind). Again, thanks for sharing your experience and happy holidays!
ReplyDelete@Nicole - now that I know which blog is yours I've updated my post above! So glad my email helped! Feel free to send me any more questions.
ReplyDeleteI love cloth too! And you are right, most people assume that it is all still plastic pants and pins. Cloth diapers are much easier nowadays!
ReplyDeleteSo right!!! I LOVE cloth diapering!! We too use the FLIP shells mostly but my new favorite are Swaddlebees Econappi diapers! So glad it's working out x2! :-)
ReplyDeleteAmen sista. Cloth all the way!
ReplyDeleteMy babe is four months old, and I LOVE cloth diapering. My favorite setup is the prefold/Flip system as well, but we also use pockets for daycare. I have also found that the hardest part about cloth diapering is responding to (read: defending my decision)to the naysayers who know next to nothing about cloth diapering but sure do have a strong opinion about it. You're right; I never realized how absolutely stinky disposables were until using cloth diapers. We started after the black goo was gone but had to use disposables a few times along the way. You did forget, however, one of the biggest selling points of cloth diapers... NO BLOWOUTS!
ReplyDeleteTotally considering doing cloth...a little nervous though! My family thinks I'm bonkers when I talk about it. I HATE the smell of disposables...I swear it always smells like pee...chemical pee! Thanks for the info :)
ReplyDeleteTwin mama cloth diapering here as well!! We use Comfy Rumps! Pocket diaps @ ~ 8$ each and a Canadian company! So hear you on total strangers saying how crazy I am to CD. What's an extra load of laundry every other day for my peace of mind, my babies' comfort, no rashes, no blowouts, no STINK!!
ReplyDelete@April - sooo true! No blowouts ever... amazing!
ReplyDelete@Kelly - yeah family can be tough but if you do decide to go for it just keep telling them how much money you will save and how cloth has come a long way! good luck! mine are now believers btw... just took some quality this is how it works time.
ReplyDelete@Debs - exactly!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I'm pregnant with my first child and didn't realize how far cloth diapers have come. Now I'm considering using them as well.
ReplyDeleteA question for those with older kids -- what do you do once they are in daycare? I assume they only want disposables?
I'm pregnant with twins, due in May, and have been telling my family all throughout the pregnancy we plan on cloth diapering. I can't tell you how many times I've been told it will be too much work, etc. and my only reply has been that cloth diapers have come a long way and there are so many options out there now. I'm still not sure which options we'll be going with, but I am definitely sticking to the decision to cloth diaper my babies!
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