Why We Cloth Diaper

why cloth diapering is healthier and cheaper how to save money cloth diapering Why We Cloth Diaper

I have to confess… for everything else I do that is natural and organic, I was late on getting on the cloth diapering bandwagon… and I’m kicking myself for it now.

For our first two children, I used disposables and didn’t think anything of it. I thought cloth diapering was a thing that our mothers and grandmothers did because they didn’t have a choice, and the horror stories of wringing out diapers in the toilet and endless loads of laundry had no appeal to me!

A couple years and a couple kids later, I decided to revisit the diapering subject, at the suggestion of some close friends (thanks ladies!).

I quickly found out that:

There are now MUCH better options for cloth diapering that when our mothers and grandmothers were doing it
There are a LOT of chemicals in traditional diapers (what… you think that magic gel stuff that absorbs 100 times its weight in urine is natural?)
Cloth diapers (even the top of the line ones) save money, especially if you have more than one child.
Cloth diapering can actually be easy!
The new cloth diapers are CUTE!
They actually leak much less than disposables. I’ve only had a couple of leaks in the 7 months I’ve been cloth diapering our youngest, and no outfits ruined by yellow baby poop!
There are a lot of brands of diapers that can fit baby from birth to potty training, so it saves space too!
They hold their value, so you can actually sell them when you are done with them if you take good care of them.

Somewhat hesitantly, I decided to try cloth diapering and quickly found that I LOVE it!

I’m certainly not an expert (though maybe some of my friends who are vetrans will offer some advice in the comments section) but I’ve found a few tips that have helped along the way. If you haven’t considered cloth diapering, I’d definitely recommend looking into it!

The Benefits

From a financial perspective, I’ve read that each child costs about $2,000 to diaper and can contribute about 600,000 diapers to the landfills. You can get a couple dozen really high quality (even organic) cloth diapers for under $500 and they can last through several children if you take care of them.

If money is really tight, it is even possible to completely cloth diaper from birth to potty training for around $100 (some people spend that a month for disposables!)

Another huge benefit that I’ve noticed is that my kids who I’ve cloth diapered have gotten NO diaper rashes, which even with a good diet, were a regular thing with disposables. With my first baby, I found within a week that Huggies diapers created an awful rash, and most generic brands did too… Pampers were ok, but of course, more expensive.

One downside is that you can’t use diaper cream (unless you make it yourself) with cloth diapers, but I haven’t needed it!

For my 7 month old, I can put double liners in her diaper and she can go all night without it leaking and without it irritating her skin…

Another benefit is that children often potty train earlier in cloth diapers because (a) they are more aware of the wetness and connect the sensation faster and (b) mom gets tired of washing out the diapers and is more motivated to potty train (ahem…).

For all the benefits, the one thing that actually convinced me to cloth diaper, was this…

Why We Cloth Diaper See, as much as I understood the benefits and how much healthier cloth diaper are… I knew that about the time that the poop really started to get nasty and needed to be washed out in the toilet… I’d probably be pregnant.

And morning sickness combined with sticking my hands in the toilet to wring out diaper…. not happening.

This diaper sprayer is what actually convinced me to cloth diaper. Basically, it is a sprayer that hooks into the clean water supply on your toilet (before it goes into the toilet!) and uses a high powered stream of water to clean the diaper without you touching any poop.

I also found out that if you are exclusively breastfeeding, you don’t even have to wash out the diapers (even poop!) at all until you start giving baby solids.

The biggest benefit, in my opinion, is that you are reducing baby’s exposure to chemicals. Disposables are plastic and contain chlorine, polyacrylate, and other chemicals that haven’t been proven safe for use on anyone, especially babies!

There is also a growing movement back to cloth diapering and a ton of support. If you don’t have local friends who are cloth diapering and can lend support like I do, there are online support communities like Diaper Pin and others, where you can find reviews, laundry help, special offers, and even people selling their gently used cloth diapers.

Our Setup

There are as many ways to cloth diaper as there are types of cloth diapers.

We have a mix of bumGenius, Fuzzibunz and GroBabys (aren’t those names cute too?). I love the simplicity of the GroBabys but they leak a lot more. Over all, I prefer the bumGenius and Fuzzibunz, and have about 2 dozen, which is enough for 2 kids if I wash every other day (which i highly recommend!)

I use a plain plastic trash can for the wet/dirty diapers. Sometimes I use an old pillowcase as a liner (it gets washed with the diapers) and sometimes I just put them directly in.

I don’t cover the trash can, or put any kind of liquid in it, though many people have special covers or a liquid method. I’ve never had much trouble with smell this way, but it definitely is a matter or personal taste.

I use homemade disposable wipes (omit the almond/olive oil) or use my homemade wipe solution on cloth baby wipes (baby washcloths work great and you can usually find them at garage or consignment sales).

To launder: I use a 1/2 cup baking soda in a cold pre-wash cycle that I let soak for 30 minutes. I then use a natural detergent like Rockin Green or Charlie’s soap, or my own soap (alternate) to wash. Occasionally, I use Dr. Bronners Sal Suds to strip the diapers.

Typically, I run another cool rinse cycle at the end to make sure all the detergent is out.

I run the liners through the dryer and hang the covers (outside in the summer, inside in the winter) to extend the life of the elastic.

For stains, the sun (summer especially) is great at bleaching! As soon as our dog isn’t quite so much of a teething puppy, I’ll be hanging them outside again.

Then, I just store the diapers in my little wooden crate (see above) and use like regular diapers. They work just like disposables, and are so much cuter! There are even artist series “designer” diapers and some are on sale right now.

Other Notes:

If you are considering cloth diapering, I’d encourage you to do your own research and find out what kind of diapers work best for your family.

I have a couple dozen that are mostly bumGenius and some Fuzzibunz (and a few Grobabys, which are now GroVias). You can buy them by the dozen and save a lot of money. You can even find organic all in-one diapers which are extremely easy to use and wash, and which will fit baby from birth to potty training!

I also really highly suggest a diaper sprayer since it will save you time and gross factor!

Some diapers even have flushable liners, so you can just dump them in the toilet and they are ready to wash.

If you haven’t considered cloth diapering, please at least look into it. It’s so much better for baby’s skin and isn’t really much extra work for you. I’m still new at it too, but we can learn together

What do you think? Ever tried it? Any veteran cloth diapering moms or dads out there? Please leave your advice and tips below!

PDF

Filed Under: Motherhood Tagged With: Baby, cloth diapering, Healthy Living, motherhood, natural baby, natural living

About Wellness Mama

Wellness Mama is a full-time housewife with a background in nutrition, journalism and communications. Her passion is helping others achieve optimal health through a “Wellness Lifestyle.” She has helped hundreds of clients lose weight, increase athletic performance, improve fertility, and overcome numerous health problems and diseases. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, & Pinterest.

Disclaimer: Many of the links on my site, especially those from Amazon, Mountain Rose Herbs, Tropical Traditions and OraWellness are affiliate links. Should you click on these links and decide to purchase anything, I will receive a small commission and you will have my sincere thanks for supporting Wellness Mama!

DISCLAIMER: The statements made here have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. These statements are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure or prevent any disease. This notice is required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

Meagan

Cloth diapered all 3 of mine. Didn’t have the fancy ones – just prefolds, liners & covers and down the road, some Motherease. I second that they almost never leaked – my friends kids would have complete catastrophies with the disposables & I had it happen one time in 3 children.
Aesha

This is an on time post! I was just starting to research cloth diapering as a way to save money. I have a 3 week old son who came who too big for Newborn diapers so the stash we had prepared before his birth was useless & I’m noticing that he’s getting a rash mroe often already! Thanks for giving me things to think about.
mamagenious

I have always had cloth diapers on my kids. Almost 4 years of washing diapers and couldn’t imagine a life with disposables. Started off by sewing my own models of old towels while expecting my first baby. We used those for four months and then we moved on to Bumgenius. Since then its been bumgenius everyday and no rashes. Nowadays I do not even use detergent, was with “Ecoballs” in 60 degrees. This was my solution to the smell that stayed in the diaper if we used normal detergents. The diapers aren’t white anymore but they do not smell. Will try to dry them in sunlight next summer, maybe they’ll bleech then. Oh, and even the nurses at nursery are now experts on clothdiapers after I introduced the concept. Really do not understand why people do not try this, it is so much easier than carrying home disposables every week. Our second kid, 2 years, boy, is now pottytraining – first kid, girl, was almost dry at 1,5 years. So yes, you are definately done diapering a lot sooner with cloth diapers.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Posting this for a reader who had trouble getting comments to work:
“I have always had cloth diapers on my kids. Almost 4 years of washing diapers and couldn’t imagine a life with disposables. Started off by sewing my own models of old towels while expecting my first baby. We used those for four months and then we moved on to Bumgenius. Since then its been bumgenius everyday and no rashes. Nowadays I do not even use detergent, was with “Ecoballs” in 60 degrees. This was my solution to the smell that stayed in the diaper if we used normal detergents. The diapers aren’t white anymore but they do not smell. Will try to dry them in sunlight next summer, maybe they’ll bleech then. Oh, and even the nurses at nursery are now experts on clothdiapers after I introduced the concept. Really do not understand why people do not try this, it is so much easier than carrying home disposables every week. Our second kid, 2 years, boy, is now pottytraining – first kid, girl, was almost dry at 1,5 years. So yes, you are definately done diapering a lot sooner with cloth diapers. “
Lisa

What about water bills? That’s my husband’s big objection to cloth diapering. Our water bill is high as it is (and our water rates are high). He’s afraid that more diaper laundry will drive that bill way up and destroy any savings we might get from cloth diapering.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I really haven’t seen a big jump in our water bill. I actually tracked it, and it has maybe gone up about 2-3% total… The loads are small, and don’t use too much water. Definitely still seeing savings though (especially since the difference in price is $1500 to $2000 per kid). By my calculations, I’ve saved over $3,000 by cloth diapering our two youngest kids, even including the cost of the cloth diapers and the sprayer, detergent, etc.
Karyn

I have tried cloth diapering for every child and still do it when we’re at home and during the daytime, but I hate it. We have a low flow, eco toilet and the water is very low in the bowl, which makes swishing the poo out nearly impossible. Plus, my kids always get diaper rashes from the cloth diapers, don’t know why. I would love to make it work, but I haven’t figured out the trick.
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Hmmm… what kind of diapers are you using? I agree… Swishing in the toilets is miserable!
Sarah

We love applecheeks here, and canadian cloth (a wahm shop on etsy), and when the babes are really small we do prefolds, snappis, and covers {;0) We love it!
whebbee

If you wash the diapers every other day, you won’t need to run them through a cycle more than once (as the stains don’t have time to set usually). I recommend no more than 15-20 covers and liners at a time, which is really a small load. If you do the math, the price for an increase in water is probably still less than the fuel it takes to drive to the store to get disposables (or have them delivered to your house if you order them online). And, the water it takes to make disposables (and the chemicals and petroleum) is much more than washing cloth diapers at home. We use a HE front loading washer, but I used to live with a regular top loader and the water bill did increase a bit then, but I found that the top loader required the diapers to need stripping less. Also, if you use Charlies Soap, or another detergent that rinses fully, you won’t need to rinse extra times.
whebbee

If you wash the diapers every other day, you won’t need to run them through a cycle more than once (as the stains don’t have time to set usually). I recommend no more than 15-20 covers and liners at a time, which is really a small load. If you do the math, the price for an increase in water is probably still less than the fuel it takes to drive to the store to get disposables (or have them delivered to your house if you order them online). And, the water it takes to make disposables (and the chemicals and petroleum) is much more than washing cloth diapers at home. We use a HE front loading washer, but I used to live with a regular top loader and the water bill did increase a bit then, but I found that the top loader required the diapers to need stripping less. Also, if you use Charlies Soap, or another detergent that rinses fully, you won’t need to rinse extra times.
Erin

I’ve used cloth nappies (diapers) for all nine of ours, translate 19 yrs of cloth nappies and wouldn’t do it any other way. (and Lisa, we’re on tank water ). Used the flat nappies in the earlier years and only bout the lovely fitted nappies for the last couple of babies.
guest

mine get rashes too, i can’t figure it out either. I have tried washing by hand then 3-4 times in my top load washer(for every clean) on a larger load than the diapers would need. I have used vinager, baking soda (not together), coconut oil, sun bleaching, bleach, oxy clean, different soaps, less soap to no soap, even boiling the liners but no matter what i have tried or do the rashes come with vengence. I know it’s the cloth diapers too because i switched back to disposable and when the rashes were clear put 1 cloth on and thats all it takes for my kids to get the worst rash that lasts 1-2 days. If i knew how to make the cloth diapers work i would use them more but i am giving up for now which is sad because i have 2 in diapers and in a few months 3. I have AIO with Microfiber liners, I have tried a few cotton liners too to no avail.
Anita

I used cloth (Motherease) on my first two, then sent them to the Dominican Republic for my sister-in-law to use, and now she’s sending them back to me to use for my third baby, due in a month! And most of these I got as presents at my first baby shower (a great thing to ask for!), so I really saved money!

I also practiced “infant potty training” (known also by various other names) from the time my first was 2 months old, so by the time they were on solids, most of the poop was going in the potty anyway. My son was out of diapers by 15 months and my daughter by 18 months. A few months after that they were dry at night too.
Jayleigh83

We researched cloth diapers when I was pregnant and it was a no brainer for us. We started cloth diapering when our daughter was 3 weeks old. (We waited because she’s our first and she was in the NICU for 2 weeks). We haven’t looked back since. I love everything about it. It’s been 18 months and the diapers are still working great. We use Charlie’s soap and have had wonderful results with it.
As far as water bills, we have not noticed a difference. We have always done a lot of laundry throughout the week I guess. We have 21 diapers and wash them twice a week. We use fuzzibunz. I like hearing about all the others out there!
I also think that using these has shown my friends how easy they are. Some of them are considering them. We have had some “issues” like stinkies, but have fixed them easily with advice and support from our local cloth diapering store, Comfy Bummy.
Linda195720769

I’m 54, and had 3 girls and we used cloth diapers way before being green and organic was the thing to do. Wish I had one of those sprayers. Unlike many of our friends, our girls rarely had any rash issues, and we had lots of cleaning rags when we were done. We didn’t have the neat options available today, but hubby used to sit in front of the TV and fold the diapers. And it was his idea to use them, as he thought they were healthier and of course cost less int he end. Great post.
Janknitz

I cloth diapered the first child and hated it. My kids have VERY sensitive skin and the rashes were terrible–there was just no way to keep her little tush dry enough. And she was always wet in the morning, no matter what. Fortunately she potty trained very early, I think the discomfort of the cloth diapers helped.

The environmental impact of disposables concerns me and I really wrestled with myself when I was pregnant with the second child. We decided to go disposable, and I didn’t regret it. She had very sensitive skin too, but I never had an issue with diaper rash except occasional food related rashes (strawberries!). It was so much easier and quicker and the bed stayed dry. I will say she took an extra long time to potty train (karmic retribution?). I think it’s because she was happy and comfortable in her diapers.
Anonymous

I use flushable liners – I wash the liners with the nappies if they’ve only been peed on and can use them 3 or 4 times that way (they get softer with washing, so that’s a bonus). We use soapnuts instead of detergent and line dry – this combo helps cloth nappies last, too. I do use disposables when things are extra busy (potty training 2yo while nursing a <6mo) because my children are happier longer in 'sposies than they are in cloth (cloth needs to be changed more frequently). But I love saving money and using fewer chemicals again when we come out of those hectic times. I have tried several brands and have settled on Itti bittis for daytime: they are cute, soft and fit my children well.
Jodi

I’m expecting # 3 in March and finally decided to ”take the plunge.” My oldest is potty trained, my (soon to be) middle is still in disposables. He seems to get rashes a LOT, and I’m hoping cloth diapering fixes that. We plan on switching him to cloth asap. It was actually your ”cloth diapering 101” post that helped me finally decide to just go for it. So far I’ve purchased about 9 GroVia hybrid shells…though now I’m concerned that you said they leak more. The biggest thing holding me back from pocket diapers is that it would seem that the shell needs washed more often. Plus I like the idea of still having an option of the throw away liner. Especially for being out and about, or when leaving the kids with sitters. Any thoughts or suggestions on why you prefer the pocket diapers better? I’m actually excited to finally be doing it. I did a bit of research before I had my first, but just never followed through with it.
http://filesofnk6.wordpress.com/ AuntieM

I started researching cloth diapers back in 2007, and used them on our daughter once we got her home from the hospital. Our newborn stash worked pretty well for about two months, since she was so small (4 lbs, 14 oz. at birth-a month early), and now she’s in the smallest settings on the one-size diapers. Everyone around me told me I’d give up within a few weeks, but I love them! It forces me to keep up with the laundry. Right now my sister is my daycare, but she’s due mid-March, so the baby will have to go into a daycare setting from March to June. I’m hoping the daycare will do the cloth diapers, but if not, I’ll use the Seventh Generation diapers for daycare only. It’s not perfect, but they’re better than most disposables.

For the lady whose babies get rashes from cloth…do you have hard water? That might cause the detergent to not get rinsed out, no matter what you do. I’ve read that some people use Calgon in the wash to soften the water, or use Rockin’ Green Hard Rock detergent.
AmyA

I used cloth diapers on my oldest – 14 years ago. They were the regular old diapers that first come to mind when you think about cloth diapers. We had received a gift of a diaper service for a few months, and I thought I’d try it out. We went to disposables after the gift period ended, and then used disposables on our next two kids.

Money was a little tighter when baby #4 came along, so I invested in 18 Bumgenius diapers and a diaper sprayer.

I made it through 2 years of daily poop cleaning sessions before I needed to switch back to disposables. My daughter is NOT a once-a-day pooper and it just got to be overwhelming.

I know it was better for her, and better for the planet, but I take comfort in the fact that we kept two years worth of diapers out of the landfill and more money in our bank. I also use Seventh Generation diapers — disposable, yea, but at least they are unbleached and my daughter is starting to potty train so she won’t be in them for too much longer.

We used Bumgenius diapers and sprayer, reusable cloth wipes with either water or Baby Bits soap, a wipes warmer for cold winter nights, and Bymgenius diaper detergent.
http://thetravelingschuhs.blogspot.com/ Sarah Schuh

Oh wow…I think you just gave me the best birthday present yet. I DID NOT know you could throw in the diapers without washing out the poop as long as you are exclusively breastfeeding. What is the reasoning behind that? It makes me a little nervous! Please do tell where you found that out, because I just may have to try it!
Krassi

We tried quite a few types of CDs – BumGenius, Bummis, BabyKicks, Kissaluvs, Chinese and Indian prefolds with our daughter, and the experience had exceeded our expectations
Our favorites were the prefolds with a snappi and a Imse Vimse wool cover – the least leaks, breathable fabric both winter and summer. The few times we had to use disposables (long trips) were the worst – leakages that stained her clothes forever. She was out of diapers around 20 months.Instead of a diaper sprayer we replaced our bathroom faucet with a pull out kitchen one – the best decision ever – not only it’s great for diapers, but the toilet instantly was becoming a bidet when needed I’ve not noticed any drastic increase in our water bill (neither a decrease after we stopped using the CDs, and we were washing every day until she got to the medium size, every other after that)
J Magnant

I am sooo interested! Just spent $50 yesterday on diapers & wipes. I would rather spend that on something else. But I have to say this does sound a bit intimidating. And the cost….I don’t know where to start. I have an 8month old and a 2yr old(who we’re currently potty training).
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Had multiple cloth diapering veterans tell me that and I’ve tested it for the last 7 months. The idea is that it is water soluble when digested. I’ve been able to wash without rinsing or pre-treating and the poop comes out completely. Definitely try it!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Had multiple cloth diapering veterans tell me that and I’ve tested it for the last 7 months. The idea is that it is water soluble when digested. I’ve been able to wash without rinsing or pre-treating and the poop comes out completely. Definitely try it!
guest

Great article, lots to think about. BUT- in reply to this post, it could be your kiddos are allergic to their own urine. My mom used cloth diapers with me with great success and she was planning to do the same with my little sister. But her skin is so sensitive that she needed to have her urine immediately sucked away from her skin otherwise she’d get terrible rashes too. I realize that everything has advanced since any of us were babies, but fabric is fabric. I’m wondering if your kiddos are just super sensitive too. Could be.
AmyA

I received a gift of a diaper service with my first child 14 years ago. They were traditional cloth diapers with waterproof covers. It was nice that it was free, but it really turned me off of cloth diapering at the time. We went back to disposables after the service ended, and then used disposables on the next 2 kids.

When baby #4 came along, money was tighter, and I did not want to add any more diaper waste to the landfills. So I invested in 18 Bumgenius diapers, tons of reusable wipes, a diaper sprayer, and a fairly stink-proof diaper pail. I also used Baby Bits soap bits to make my own wipes solution and kept the wipes in a warmer in the winter.

Baby had some rashes, but I figured out that the detergent was not getting completely washed out and began using Calgon (we have hard water) once a month or so. Rashes cleared up for the most part after that.

I had to start using disposables at night when she was close to 1 year because she was waking up soaked every night.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000210427531 Danielle Garcia

I love cloth diapering! I started with GroVia because I was so overwhelmed with all the options out there. My daughter is 9 mos now, and I finally found some covers for the prefolds (a friend gave me a HUGE stash of these and I felt guilty for months because I didn’t know I needed a cover and so didn’t use them…) Loving the prefolds to be honest. I use the snap-eeze things instead of the pins. Hubby goes along with the diapering (he likes that I am saving money!) I totally hang up the diapers in the sun to turn blindingly white again. Also, I have top loader, and only had to strip the diapers for the first time two weeks ago! Great post!
Karyn

I have Fuzzi Bunz and KaWaii Baby – both with the microfiber liners.
Jenny P

I have a question about the baking soda. What purpose does it serve in your laundry method? We cloth diaper as well and I hadn’t heard about that one before.

My only irritation is how stained they get. I guess I didn’t realize they would be that stained with breastfed poop. I just expected they might start looking dingy and that a bit of time in the sun would make them look new again, which it does, but as soon as my son poops again, they are stained all over again. Does anyone have an idea on how to prevent staining?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

The baking soda just preventatively keeps the ammonia smell from starting… some people struggle with that a lot so I do this to ward it off..
Jenny P

Ok good, I’ll try it as I have some stinkies starting with my microfiber inserts.

Do you have trouble with breastfed poop staining your diapers too? Our Fuzzibuns handle the poop pretty well and seem to only stain a small amount. But we use AMP’s and Rumparooz as well and they will stain more. Especially any hemp or bamboo inserts, they’ll stain really bad right after the first poop.

Thanks for the reply!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

We haven’t had much trouble with stains, but I do line dry them outside most of the time, so that helps..
Guest

What about when you are out and about? How do you deal with soiled cloth diapers when you’re not at home? For example (per my husband) if you’re at the grocery store and baby goes poo, what are you supposed to do with the dirty diaper??
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

For trips around town, they make these little things called wet bags that are totally water proof and zip shut. They hold the diaper until you get home (you can rinse there if need be) and then the bag can be tossed in the laundry. They also make big wet bags that are washable, and many people hang these on door handles and store all the soiled diapers in them and then just wash with the diapers. When we travel long distances (more than a day or two trip) we do use chlorine-free disposables though.
Dinika

I started cloth with my first and now cloth diapering two (14 mo apart). I have enjoyed it so much! I received a book called Diaper Free by Ingres Bauer for Christmas – why didn’t I know about this before. We still use cloth on my 20 month old and on my 6 month old at night but I am so excited to start the journey of natural infant hygiene. Cloth is a great compliment to it!
http://www.facebook.com/catieschamel Catie Meyer Schamel

Lisa, Wellness Mama is right. I cloth diapered both of my kids (with an overlap where both were in CDs at the same time), and our water bill was only $1-$2 higher a month. You can’t even buy one box of disposables for the increase in cost for an entire year! I washed a load of diapers every other day, and I even did a second rinse with vinegar to prevent build-up (and I never once had to strip my diapers). On top of that, I took excellent care of my diapers, and sold them when once the kids were potty trained. I made nearly 50% of the investment back after using them for years. There is no good excuse not to do it!!!
Christinepilger

My one reason for using disposables (and it just killed me–more environmental than financial) was because we live in an apartment complex. 24 units (all adults, no children) and only four public washers. I felt it was too much an imposition on the other tenants. If we have another child, I hope we will be in our own home with our own washer then I only have to deal with my husband and his silly disgust.
Christinepilger

My one reason for using disposables (and it just killed me–more environmental than financial) was because we live in an apartment complex. 24 units (all adults, no children) and only four public washers. I felt it was too much an imposition on the other tenants. If we have another child, I hope we will be in our own home with our own washer then I only have to deal with my husband and his silly disgust.
MommaMeg

I have two in diapers and a few months ago switched to cloth for monetary reasons. I purchased mostly BumGenius with a few Fuzzibunz. During the two months I consistently used the cloth I constantly battled diaper rashes, a strong ammonia smell (even in clean diapers), and leaks. I stripped the diapers multiple times and with the exception of about two times, exclusively sun dried everything. I started out by using Charlie’s soap and then quickly switched over to Rockin’ Green detergent, in addition to soaking with the Rockin’ Green for ammonia problems. I took a break from the cloth and went back to disposables gone were the rashes and leaks. Started up again with cloth diapers 3 days ago and both girls have rashes and my laundry has significantly increased due to multiple outfits a day from leaks/blow-outs and of course, washing the diapers. Don’t know why my experience has been so different but going back to disposables for now.
Lisa

As a home;schooling mum of 7 I just don’t have the time for using cloth. We already wash 3 or 4 loads per day (I have bed wetters). Good disposables only need to be changed twice a day unless they are dirty. Far better for me to be time economical. I did use cloth in the day time for my first 3. (that included 6 months of 3 in nappies). My advice is to do whatever is the most economical for you – both time and money.
MommaMeg

My kids consistently have gotten rashes using CD and I don’t know why either! Very frustrating since it seems the other way around for most people.
Nicole

this might be too late, but you might consider making sure your detergent type and amount are correct for the hardness of your water. If your water is soft, you can get buildup of soap that causes rashes (watch the rinse cycle for bubbles); if your water is hard you can get mineral buildup that causes rashes.
J Magnant

So…I now have been cloth diapering for 6days. I love them! I didn’t think I would. The poopy diapers weren’t as bad as I thought they would be. I’m using Bumgenius & Fuzzibunz. I love the feel of them. My son’s skin is dry. No rashes. One leak…it wasn’t tight enough around his thigh. I was nervous about using them while out & about. Used them on a couple of outings & we were ok. But if anyone has any advice for when out…please share. Thank you Wellness Mama for inspiring me!
Anna

Thanks for your post! We’re expecting our first baby and are in the “diaper research phase.” We are interested in installing a diaper sprayer, but suddenly realized it could be a set-up for fun-loving toddlers and little ones (ours and visitors) who will be alone in the bathroom? Anyone have experience with this?
Raisin3cookies

Please don’t use “flushable” liners! They don’t disintegrate in the pipes and clog things up downstream, as it were. I just cut up an old fleece blanket and use that as liners. The poo just comes right off, no big.
Pingback: This Week in Eat Like a Dinosaur Reviews | Paleo Parents
Pingback: Why We Are Trying Out Cloth Diapers — Lola and Oatmeal
Pingback: I May Have Found a New Favorite Blog | Momma Maria
Asya

I’ve read that your not supposed to use any harsh cleaners when washing cloth diapers, especially vinegar because it will eat away at the liners and the vinegar could be transferring to your childs skin..
http://www.facebook.com/naomi.jones.14 Naomi Jones

My daughter is really staining her diapers. I just use plain ol’ pre-folds. I’m not sure how to get the stains out. Even her breastmilk poops have stained the diapers. I have used a bleach soak in the past but would like to get away from that. Do I just have to deal with the diapers being colored?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Vinegar per soaks will sometimes help or dr bronners new one called sal suds…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1085116587 Sarah Williams

Hi Wellness Mama & Wellness Mama peeps! I’m about to be a new mom and I’ve been researching cloth diapering for a while. I keep going back and forth on my decision to do it, but I think that with your advice it could be a lot easier than I thought it was! I know that when I was a baby, my parents couldn’t use disposables on me because I would get a really horrible rash. I hope my baby doesn’t have as sensitive skin as I did, but disposables have gotten a lot better than they were back in the 80s. Anyhoozles, I think all of the pros seem to outweigh the cons in cloth diapering, so it’s worth a shot, even if disposables seem to have no effect on him! My husband is dead set against it, but he’s gonna be at work all day while I’m diapering our little one, so I’m hoping he’ll let me prove to him how easy it actually is.

I found a review on a certain cheaper cloth diaper that seems to be ideal if I want to just experiment with the idea but I wanted to know if anyone has ever heard of them… They’re called Sunbaby Diapers. For a small package deal of 6 diapers with 12 microfiber inserts, it costs $45… which comes out to $7.50 per diaper. That’s the cheapest I’ve seen without having to buy a ton, even counting used ones. I just wondered if anyone has used them and if they’d recommend them. I thought they were also neat because they are very adjustable and supposed to be “one size” diapers that adjust as the baby grows, so it works from birth to potty training. Here’s their website if you want to check them out. http://sunbabydiapers.com/

I saw a review that said they were very similar to Fuzzibunz diapers, she just said she doesn’t think they’d last as long as Fuzzibunz.

Any advice or help is much appreciated!

P.S. I’m addicted to your blog, Wellness Mama! You are awesome… Our personalities are ridiculously similar, and honestly, I’d be a lot more like you if I wasn’t so lazy, haha!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Hi Sarah… I’d definitely encourage you to give it a shot. My hubby is against it too, but since there isn’t really a smell, he doesn’t mind as long as he doesn’t have to change the messy ones! I haven’t heard of that particular brand, but they look like a great option to give it a try…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1085116587 Sarah Williams

I think I’ll have to come up with a similar agreement with my hubby about the messy diapers! We’re gonna order them today (I think), so wish us luck! I’ll be sure to let you know how they work out! My little guy isn’t out yet, but could be out any day now!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

Yay! Best of luck with it and congrats! Please keep us updated and let us know when he’s out And best of luck for a wonderful delivery! Warmly
Katie
WifiSmith

My first is expected in November and I have decided to cloth diaper as well. I have read many places that you are meant to do a hot wash cycle not cold. Not sure the reasoning but if i can save energy using cold I am all for it. Any thoughts on why they say you are meant to do a hot wash?
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I think the hot just helps pull the proteins from the urine out of the diapers. I’ve been able to do warm/cold if i line dry in the sun or add some vinegar once in a while to the rinse.
http://www.facebook.com/RachieDachie Racheal Lewing

I am a first time mom and I cloth diaper as well. We have Bum Genius diapers and we absolutely LOVE them! We use the Bummis biodegradable diaper liners and actually just throw them away…they were clogging our toilet! We also purchased a diaper sprayer, but find we prefer the liners due to decreased potential of a mess. We have a front loading HE washing machine and find that the biodegradable liners (from pee-only dipes) will wash, dry and be worn a couple and even a few times. So the $8.00 for 100 of them actually gets stretched out a bit.

As far as the wipes are concerned, it just makes sense to use reusable ones and place them right in the dirty diaper and then right in the wash! I do not sew and actually purchased flannel wipes from Etsy….LOVE them, too. I can’t remember the price, but we still saved a TON when compared to the cost of disposable dipes/wipes. The wipe solution we use is made with 8 oz liquid castile soap (we use Dr. Bronner’s Mild/Unscented), 8 oz grapeseed oil, 10 drops of GSE and a mixture of lavender, tea tree, orange, and patchouli essential oils. This recipe lasts forever as you just mix in 1 tsp of this solution per 8 oz water. My son rarely has a leaking diaper and he has few diaper rash issues.
MomLady

I cloth diaper both my munchkins. I buy Garanimals flat diapers and double them up (they weren’t absorbent enough by themselves), put a fleece fabric liner on that (my daughter got bad chafing when it was just the cotton against her skin, so I bought fleece at the fabric store and cut up rectangles to line the diapers with), a Diaperaps flushable liner on that, stick the whole thing in a Thirsties cover, and park it on the baby’s bum.

I have to hand wash all our laundry (no machine, and laundromats are expensive), so when it’s changing time I flush the flushable liner and separate the diaper pieces straight into a 5 gallon bucket and cover it. When the bucket is full, I add laundry soap and Oxyclean, wash, rinse a few times, wring, and hang on an outdoor rack to dry in the sun.

Saves me quite a bit. My big kid is disabled and potty training isn’t possible right now with him, and my little kid isn’t old enough yet. Even buying store brand generics I could spend $60 in diapers in a month, buying for two kids!
Kristine Langone

I am trying to figure out how to make cloth organic diapers. I was going to put an organic cotton sweatshirt material on the inside and hemp and bamboo inserts. However, what to do about the outside? Everyone says to use pul fabric or you will have a soaked diaper. But pul is bad for you. Do you have any suggestions on what to use on the outside that is organic and won’t leak? Thanks!
http://wellnessmama.com Wellness Mama

I know people who use wool… much more work, but it also works…
Pingback: My Typical Day: Health + Parenting + Cleaning | Wellness Mama
sarah

We are expecting our second child and I already bought one pack of 6 disposable diapers (I think we will have to get them a little at a time since a 6 pack was $100). I have had some reservations about it… like I worry what if I spend all that money on disposables and then realize it’s not for us. Then it wouldn’t really be saving any money. =/ Also from the comments I read it sounds like all the husbands are against cloth diapers (mine included). LOL. I wonder why? They are too grossed out by the thought of having to wash out poo, but us moms have a much higher tolerance for gross-ness! When our daughter was potty training and had poo accidents in her pants, my husband was so grossed out that he just automatically threw the underwear away. There’s no way I’m letting him do that with a $20 cloth diaper! Hahahaha
Pingback: Earth Baby | veggievinyasa
Meagin

I use wool for that very reason and LOVE it! I figure why go cloth to still have them around synthetics, so I use organic prefolds with organic wool covers and after three years of disposables, and now 5 months of cloth, I couldn’t be happier with the transition! It’s actually less work than PUL (from what I’ve heard), because you only wash the covers once a month unless they get poop on them…
Virginia Miner

I cloth diapered my son for several months, and it was a lot of work! Cons for me were; coin-op laundry, which has very little cycle selectability, so that I had to run two full cycles in the washer, and then a dryer cycle. This cost me $3 every time I washed diapers! When we were using them full time, this meant that I was spending approximately $9 a week on diapers, which is not a good deal! We quickly switched to disposables at night (my son pees a LOT) and clothies during the day, taking Sunday off of clothies as well. That took us down to 2 loads a week, which saved $. In our condo we aren’t allowed to have clothes lines, so getting sun on the diapers was tough. Also, we didn’t feel like we could afford a diaper sprayer, so when the real poops started coming I seriously lost motivation. We used disposable liners, but those are a bad deal; they don’t contain the poop, but they do stick to the baby’s bottom. So, the long and short of it is… I love not having running out of diaper emergencies. I love not generating trash. But I am not a hero. I am going to wait until I have my own washer and dryer and clothesline, buy a diaper sprayer, and then I will be set. I have 30 or so fuzzibunz and I am hoping that by the time the next baby comes cloth diapers will make a lot more financial and practical sense.
Jody C

I diapered all 5 of my kids in cloth back when disposable diapers had just come out. We didn’t have the choices of today. It was either birdseye flat diapers or the Gerber prefolds. I did both and used “plastic pants.” I never minded it a bit. I loved hanging out diapers on the clothesline almost every day. I can’t imagine having all these choices of today, but it’s great. I sewed fitted diapers for my granddaughter using the VeryBaby patterns. Fun.

Why We Cloth Diaper

Like What You Read?

Search Wellness Mama

Latest Pins on Pinterest

My Facebook Friends

Wellness Success

Why We Cloth Diaper

Related Posts

Like What You Read?

Search Wellness Mama

Latest Pins on Pinterest

My Facebook Friends

Wellness Success