We've had a lot of people ask us about our cloth diapers and how it is going, so I thought I would write a blog giving some information about them for those interested. I know that cloth diapering is not for everyone, but there are plenty of people out there considering it.
Let me begin by stating that we LOVE our diapers. Practically everyone was so negative about us using cloth diapers and yet, we love them and have no intention of using disposables again. We did use disposables briefly--while his umbilical area was healing, and then when he was circumcised. We were so happy to go back to cloth after that.
We use Bumgenius 3.0 diapers. I did hours upon hours of research before we came to decide on these. Euphoria Baby was a great source for information and was where I bought the diapers from in the end. Everyone has their own preference and this is what I felt would work best for us. Bumgenius has many different types of diapers and there are many other companies, as well. My brother and sister-in-law use the gDiapers, and these seem to be working well for them. At any rate, the Bumgenius are machine washable and can be put in the dryer. They come in a variety of colors, and are very durable. Finally, they have snaps that enable the diapers to grow with Silas--from newborn to toddler!
We bought 18 diapers and have yet to use all of them in one-day. At his best, we've used 7-8 in a day. Then again, we aren't typical first-time parents--we don't feel the need to change his diaper 25 times a day. We are pretty laid back, but, it is definitely a comfort to know we have plenty of extras. They come in an array of colors so we got yellow, light blue, dark blue, light green, and dark green). This way, if we have another child and it is a girl, we can still use the yellows and greens (and even the blues if we want!).
How do they work? Well, each diaper shell has a pocket and you put the diaper inserts into the pocket. The thicker end goes up front for boys and in the back for girls. Once the insert is in and situated (it's super easy) you put the diaper on baby. That's it. The tabs are velcro and are really easy to pull and stay put. We had disposable tabs break frequently, but these don't and they've never come un-velcroed. Yes, they are thicker, so Baby may wear slightly bigger clothes, or, the clothes may stretch a bit, but it is no big deal. They are adorable!
Clean up is not as hard as imagined. When he has a wet/dirty diaper we take it to the bathroom where we have a garbage can with a special cloth bag liner. You take the insert out and throw both the insert and shell into the can. If it is a dirty diaper, you rinse off the the diaper in the toilet. How do we do this? We use a diaper sprayer. It easily hooks up to the toilet, and you turn it on, rinse the mess into the toilet, and turn it off. The diaper and shell then go into the can.
Washing the diapers is easy, too. We run the diapers once in a cold cycle and then again in a warm/hot cycle. The cold rinse is done without detergent and we add detergent during the hot rinse. We do use special detergent called Country Save because it is chemical, dye, and fragrance-free. You don't need much of it, though, and it will last us a LONG time. There are a few other recommended ones and there are many websites that can lead you in the right direction. Once the wash cycles are done, we put the liners in the dryer to dry and hang-dry the shells on an extra shower-rod in the bathroom. Yes, you can dry the shells in the dryer, but they do last longer if you hang dry those. Hang drying everything outside is even better, if your neighborhood allows (ours doesn't)!
That's it. Seriously. Doesn't sound too difficult, right?
There are some other things that you need to know, and I will try to address these as questions...
Q: Why the special liner in the garbage can? Couldn't you just use a regular bag?
A: Yes, but I don't recommend it. These diaper pail liners are great because not only do they contain the smell, but we toss bag and all into the washing machine and dryer. They are machine washable, and we don't have to touch the dirty diapers again.
Q: Why special detergent? Can't I use All Free, or something without fragrance?
A: Yes, but again, not recommended. Detergents with any type of fragrances, dyes, or chemicals can damage the diapers and affect their efficacy. Plus, Country Save does a great job getting odors out and is safe for baby's skin. As I mentioned before, there are other usable detergents we've just used this one. By the way, Dreft and other baby detergents are not usable. They still have fragrances and chemicals.
Q: What about diaper rash and using creams or powders with these?
A: You shouldn't use just any diaper cream with these diapers, because like the detergent, they can affect the efficacy. We've only had to use diaper rash cream once so far (for not even a day) but we were prepared. We purchased hemp liners that go on top of the inside of the diaper, that way the cream from his bottom rubs onto these liners and doesn't touch the rest of the diaper. We also use Aveeno Baby Cream which we found was safe for the diapers and also not a ridiculous price. Destin, Boudreaux's, and other popular ones will hurt the diaper.
Q: How does traveling with cloth diapers work?
A: So far, so good. The diapers do take up more room in the bag, but I have a really nice, large diaper bag. You will need wet bags for traveling. Wet bags are small bags that are big enough to fit 2 or 3 cloth diapers in them. They can also be washed and dried, and contain smells within the bag. We are taking a couple long trips this summer, so I am going to give these flushable liners a try. I'll let you know how that goes.
Q: How do the diapers hold up overnight?
A: Pretty well. But, we double up at night. We bought extra inserts to put in the diaper at night so by morning, he hasn't soaked through. Also, the hemp liners mentioned above are also diaper doublers that can be used overnight. You can use this throughout the day, as well, especially if you have a baby that tends to fill the diaper well.
Q: What kind of prep must you do before using the diapers for the first time?
A: LOTS of washing. I spent an entire Saturday washing everything. Not just once, either. The inserts and shells had to go through 2 or 3 washings. The hemp liners had to go through 5-6 washings (they have a specific oil in their material initially that can ruin the diaper if not washed out). But once that was done, they were good to go. Also, not washing them enough times will increase the likelihood that the diapers efficacy will decrease.
Oh, and I also gave my washing machine a good cleaning before the prep. I wiped down everything and did a vinegar/water hot wash. This helps to get rid of smells, chemicals and any other lurking bacteria.
Here is a list of the things we bought in preparation of cloth diaper use:
- A starter pack including 18 diapers, 18 inserts and 5 diaper doublers (for overnight use)
- Additional hemp diaper doublers/inserts (about 10-15 more)
- A diaper sprayer
- 2 diaper pail liners
- 2 wet bags for traveling
- Country Save laundry detergent
- Bounce-free dryer sheets
- Aveeno Baby Diaper Cream
- Flushable liners (which we will be experimenting with this summer during traveling)
I think this is it. Overall we spent about $500 for all of this, maybe a little less. It is a lot up front, but, that's it. We don't have to buy ANYTHING else. Plus, if we treat the diapers kindly, we can use them for another child or re-sell them (yes, you can do this! Some people want your old cloth diapers). We are going to save thousands of dollars; and while we are using more water than normally, it is a renewable resource and much cheaper than buying disposables. We are trying to be better stewards of this earth that God has graciously provided to our depraved hands.
Whew! Have I answered all your questions? Feel free to leave a comment and ask more!
DISCLAIMER: My linking all the various products in this blog is simply to give examples of what I use. There are many other fantastic products out there that are perfectly acceptable. I have not been paid to blog about this issue and the products within it. I am simply a fan and want to help those out there who are looking for information.
