The Story of Cloth.
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Cloth diapers are a part of Anna's story. They are something I enjoy in my role as a mom. Mother's Day seems as good a day as any to document a bit about the how & why we use cloth in our family.
With Simon I used cloth when he was an older baby; for Anna I had the intention of starting from birth. I ended up waiting until she was about 9 weeks and we are now going strong. I waited until I was feeling in the mama-to-an-infant groove. I wanted to be feeling good emotionally and physically before I added this element into the mix. It's not that there's a lot more work, but it's just another thing to have to think about.
WHY CLOTH
People choose to cloth diaper for a variety of different reasons: economic, environmental, health, and some people just think they look cool. Are they really better for the environment? Some people claim they are and others respond that you end up using more water so it becomes a wash (no pun intended).
Here's some of our reasons:
1. I like not having more trash than we need too.
2. I am one of those people that is totally fine with doing the laundry. Having another load every other day is not an issue for me.
3. I like them. They are soft and colorful and she's not complaining.
SO MANY CHOICES
There are tons of options with cloth. TONS. It's not just pieces of cloth and pins anymore. Within each option there are even more choices like snaps or velcro, one size or S, M, L, colors, prints, etc.
We use a bunch of different kinds here in our house. Most recommendations I have read suggest trying out a few different styles to see what works best for you and your family. Depending on what day you ask me I will have a different favorite.
Here's a peek into what we currently use:
• Prefolds with covers (Chinese prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers): this is the most economical, un-fancy, wonderfully simple option. Step by step photos on how to use these can be found here. I just do a tri-fold and stick it inside the cover - no pins. We started out with the orange edge newborn prefolds and are still using those (she is just over 10 pounds). I will probably be ordering the yellow-edge infant prefolds soon. My favorite covers are Thirsties because of the leg gussets. I also like the Super Whisper Wrap with snaps.
• Pockets with covers: FuzziBunz & Bum Genius 3.0. These ones have a cover that you slip an insert into and then remove after it is wet or soiled. It is a one-time use before washing again (you don't pull out the insert and then put a dry one in). These go on just like a disposable - no folding required. We have the most of these in our rotation.
• Fitteds with covers: Good Mama. These ones go on like a regular diaper, are super soft, and then we place a cover (like the Thirsties above) on top. When they are soiled you remove the cover, put on another fitted diaper, and can reuse the cover if it is not wet or soiled. At lot of times if the cover is not soiled I will let it sit out to air out and use another cover for the next fitted diaper.
• One-size all-in-ones from Bum Genius (these EASY but take longer to dry) : these go on just like a disposable diaper with no pockets to stuff or folding necessary. They tend to be more expensive than sized diapers and the jury is still out on wether they really last through the years that a baby needs to wear a diaper. I am really liking the snaps on the orgainc all-in-ones.
How do I choose which one to put on her? I don't have a rhyme or reason really. Chris prefers the all-in-ones so I usually leave those for him.
STORAGE & WASHING
On her changing table I have hung a bag with a clip (see photo at the top of this post) to hold the soiled diapers. I am washing every other day. We use Charlie's Soap for all our washing and do a cold pre-wash, a hot wash, and an extra rinse. When you first get the diapers (any style) you need to prep them before
using them. Most brands recommend a bunch (like four or more) washings
to get them ready + absorbent for use.
I hang dry the Thirstie's covers but dry the rest together on medium time dry for about an hour. Sometimes the one-size all in ones need more drying time.
Here's some of my favorite sites for purchasing diapers and reading tips & information (especially on how many diapers to begin with, etc):
• Green Mountain Diapers (the photos here are great for seeing what the diapers look like on babies at different ages)
• Jillian's Drawers (they have a great trial program available where you get a selection of popular styles)
• Kelly's Closet
I have also learned a ton from reading the cloth diaper message board at Mothering.com. Tons of experienced Mamas on there who are ready and willing to share information, trouble-shoot, and support.
For reviews & tips check out Diaper Pin.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!
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65 comments
I am using both. I got some washcloths from Green Mountain Diapers that I am transitioning to using here at home. With the cloth wipes I either get it wet in advance of the change or use a little spray bottle with some water at the changing table. I have read of people putting the cloth wipes in the diaper warmer too - need to read more on that to see if it really works. Right now I am working through a big box of wipes from Costco ;).
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By the way, I've decided to go with the AppleCheeks diapers because they look like the best fit. They are really nice and have gotten great reviews. They are also made in Canada (where I am)! You should check them out.
http://applecheeks.com/site/en/Who_About_AppleCheeks.html
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Hi Ali, thanks for a great post. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant right now and I've already done a lot of research. My plan is to use elimination communication and cloth diaper as a back up. Have you heard of EC?(My mom actually used this with me from the time I was just a couple of months old because she was tired of washing diapers- I am not from the USA). It just seems like something you might be interested in.
Hope this helps, Aloha, Sarah
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I've been waiting on this post Ali and I totally think it's great you guys are doing cloth. We've made changes as a family to be more green and this is another area we're in the process of changing. I'm actually ordering our diapers this week and I'm getting the Bumgenius brand. Thanks for all the tips and Happy Mothers Day!
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Hi Ali
I read your blog whenever I get a chance and I was so excited to see your post on cloth diapering. I also cloth diapered my daughter (she is now out of diapers) but it was always a great experience. Plus it is so much better for the environment. I loved the wonderoos. They are aio's and I used the chinese prefolds in them also. You may want to try to hang them to dry. I always made sure I had a large stash of diapers so that I could hang them in the bathroom and they always dried overnight. I wanted to tell you of a local company in Kansas City that my friend has http://www.happybottomus.com/ she has some wonderful products and she is a local ap mom. Great great person. Also you can use tto just a few drops in while washing your diapers to prevent smell. It has a great smell I think and works well with cloth diapers. Also on the wipes we used the wipes warmer with a bit of ro water and a few drops of baby oil. It kept them for a few days then I'd switch out and put new solution in. I found that her bottom didn't break out as much and I always had plenty of baby washcloths to spare! That you for the wonderful blog post about this. I hope more Mommies use cloth diapers!
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I don't think you need to respond to that! You are doing a great thing in a million different ways. There is always an exchange for reusing instead of tossing, and the reusing almost always comes out on top!
You go! I think it is awesome that you posted about this part of your mothering, no matter how long your dryer is on.
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Hi Ali!
Thanks for your informative post. I used cloth with baby #2 and baby #3...too chicken with #1! I loved them..used the cheapest option as I was a SAHM. (Chinese prefolds, pins and pull-on nylon pants.) Loved them...used them for 3 years with second child and 2.5 years with 3rd child and they were still great!
One tip for wipes..I used cheap washcloths that I bought by the dozen from Costco...kept a pump carafe (the coffee kind) on the changing table filled with warm water...works like a charm, and stays warm for a LONG time.
Simon and Anna are SO lucky to have you as their Mom :) Hope you had a wonderful day celebrating motherhood.
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Ali-
Funny enough, I am a mom that uses disposible diapers. I think it was only because I have had this "fear" of cloth! :) After reading your post...I not only saw that cloth really isn't that time consuming or hard to use. If I ever have another baby (mine is gonna be 2 June 5th)I will be looking into these. :) Thanks, Ali! :)
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Just wanted to mention that I use Sposoeasy made by Blue Penguin-they are wonderful! I have the ones with the snaps. Read the reviews at Diaper Pin. Green Mountain Diapers sells them, but I like to buy mine at Zoombaby-she seems to have the best price. They work so much better than disposables, no leaks or blowouts with runny breastfood poo. (Seems like the few times I have used disposables, I end up with a blowout every day) And they're all in ones, so they're really easy to manage. They are a little bit more expensive-but the sizing is done so that I think I will only have to have two different sizes....so I will be able to use them longer. This is my first baby and I decided to go with cloth after I read about your decision on your blog. Thanks for sharing with us! Also, if anyone says anything about using extra electricity or water, etc. when you use cloth...I find that I have way more baby clothes to wash when I use disposables because they leak so badly...And I don't buy the cheap brand of disposables, either. They are Huggies. So, I think it's equal either way-except that cloth seems to be better for my baby's skin.
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I've always wondered how you wash the diapers when she's gone, er, "number two." Do you toss them in the washing machine "as is," or do you have to do something like hose them off first?
P.S. To Honey--I'm sure Ali does plenty of "green" things to make up for the long dryer time. Calm down.
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Ali, thanks for a great post! You make cloth diaper seem so accessible and not at all "better then other moms"! Sometimes I hate to tell people I use cloth because they feel like they have to justify their own disposables...But everyone should do what works for them.
as for wipes, I sewed my own flannel ones...2 pieces of flannel in whatever size works for you. 15 or 20 is plenty for 1 baby. They are so soft and gentle. I especially appreciate them when my son has a rash. They seem so much more gentle.
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Love it. We are planning on having a child this year and with 2 of my sister in laws cloth diapering I've decided to try it out. We got together and sewed our own (Bum Genius style). They are so cute. I can't wait to have a baby to put in them. Just makes me feel better to think of putting that on them instead of a disposable.
And using disposables until you hit a routine is great advice I'll have to think that over.
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Hey Ali,
I know you said before you have a wipes warmer, I did read somewhere that they make a disposable wipes warmer and now one specifically for cloth ones, sorry not sure where I read it though.
Good on you for using cloth, we are using them too and some days they need to go in the dryer even after being in the sun - and I live in Sunny Australia! Every little bit helps and I feel good about using them!
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Great post -- I twittered about it!
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Happy Mother's Day! I used fuzzi bunz with my son when he was an older baby. He had diaper rash since his newborn days, and it just got worse as he aged. I tried everything and finally read that it might be the disposable diapers. This was enough to finally convince my husband to go cloth (I had been trying since my first was born). With cloth diapers and diaper cream without zinc, the rashes all went away!(and they were BAD) I also found them to be barely any more work then disposables, even when we were away from home! I love cloth!
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Good job Ali! We are past the nappy (NZ for diaper) stage now but we definitely think about the environment where ever we can in our living. I actually enjoy hanging washing on the line and really enjoying bringing it in, fresh and clean. I love laundry so much that we have one sofa dedicated to holding the pile there jsut to tempt someone to fold it-that's DH job and he might notice it over the weekend.
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I´m so happy to get to read about your opinions about cloth nappies, and I agree in so much of what you write!
I like the options you have when it comes to cloth nappies, from flat nappies with a (wool)cover to pocket nappies and AIOs, and they all have their advantages!
(I wrote a little about our cloth nappies on my blog a few days ago by the way...)
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We use cloth nappies too! well not all the time, as now he is bigger (14 months) I hate carrying the dirty ones home when we are out for the day. It took a long time for me to get over the 'perfect mum guilt' for using the odd disposable here and there, but now it's fine....
the only trouble we have is they are bigger so when he's transitioning between clothes sizes some trousers (um.. pants?) are good for disposable days and others for real days!!!
oh and i use washcloths instead of wipes on real days! i cut them in quarters first so I didn't have to buy/use so many.
and Christina, you put a nappy liner in there, it's kinda like a strong tissue (kleenex) that is plushable with the poo! and then wash the rest as is.
I hang my nappies to almost dry and then tumle dry the last 15 or 20mins else they comeout very hard and scratchy.
I'm one of those people who believe that no lanfill outweighs an exta load of washing every 2 days at 40 deg (centigrade) so low...
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All 3 of my babies had cloth nappies, just the simple squares folded by me. I loved that I was not adding to the already overfilled landfill amongst other things. Now my babies are older and the nappies are still used, they are used up in the shed for wiping car engines and oil, for cleaning up from renovation projects, for use in my art studio with paints, inks etc and cut down to size for my little girl's dolls nappies.
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Ali, so glad to read this post as my daughter just gave birth. She decided to use disposables until the baby is 2 weeks old, then buy cloth. She's researched it extensively but wanted to see how big baby was before ordering cloth.
I used cloth on both my babies as the disposables were in their infancy and not very good. I would still use cloth today as I'm quite green and think a bit of electricity (which is more renewable here in the West than throwing plastic in the landfill), with soft cloth next to baby's tender skin is really the way to go.
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