When I was pregnant with Breck, I started reading on blogs about cloth diapering and began to be intrigued with it. I did research and visited with a friend who showed me how she did it. So here is why I decided the cloth diaper... but be reminded that these were my thoughts BEFORE I had a baby:
* My biggest reason to cloth diaper was to save money. I didn't want to constantly have to spend money on disposables. Diaps are expensive and I thought that spending money up front would help me save money in the end. I could use the diapers through multiple kids and the same diapers would last from infant to toddler.
*I also think that cloth diapers are really cute. Cloth diapers have come a long way from when I was a baby. I was a cloth diapered babe myself. Gone are the days of ugly plasticy covers and now the colors are so fun.
*When doing research I found that cloth diapered babies can have less diaper rashes because it is supposed to keep them more dry.
*And, it's less diapers in the landfill - but that was not my first reason!
*When doing research I found that cloth diapered babies can have less diaper rashes because it is supposed to keep them more dry.
*And, it's less diapers in the landfill - but that was not my first reason!
So, those were my reasons that I wanted to cloth diaper... then it came to actually doing it :) I used disposable diapers til Brecken was about 4- 6 weeks old. I didn't want to burden my sleep-deprived self with one more thing... so once I felt up with it, I started it up. I used the Bum Genius one-size pocket diapers, using cloth during the day and disposable at night. I also put a disposal diaper on him when we did errands/went out. I washed the diapers every 2 - 3 days, just throwing the cloth diapers in the wash and out they came clean!
This was a great routine, until he turned around a year old and well, the poop consistency changed because of the solid foods. This is when I could no longer just throw the diapers in the wash for a rinse and wash and come back later and they would be clean. Maybe a little too much information. :) This is where normally one would get a diaper sprayer and spray off the poop before washing them. I didn't have one and I'm not sure if the sprayer would work since I have weird toilets.... and I just really couldn't stomach it. So I haven't done any cloth diapering since we moved late summer/early fall. I don't think I will be doing any more cloth diapering with him either.
So, that is my story. I feel sad that I didn't do it longer, and guilty because I have all the supplies and kinda gave up on it. I think I will try it with Baby #2 and see how it goes, but not sure how long it will last. I am really unsure on how I feel about it...
Here is my pro/con list AFTER using cloth diapers:
This was a great routine, until he turned around a year old and well, the poop consistency changed because of the solid foods. This is when I could no longer just throw the diapers in the wash for a rinse and wash and come back later and they would be clean. Maybe a little too much information. :) This is where normally one would get a diaper sprayer and spray off the poop before washing them. I didn't have one and I'm not sure if the sprayer would work since I have weird toilets.... and I just really couldn't stomach it. So I haven't done any cloth diapering since we moved late summer/early fall. I don't think I will be doing any more cloth diapering with him either.
So, that is my story. I feel sad that I didn't do it longer, and guilty because I have all the supplies and kinda gave up on it. I think I will try it with Baby #2 and see how it goes, but not sure how long it will last. I am really unsure on how I feel about it...
Here is my pro/con list AFTER using cloth diapers:
Pro:
*The Bum Genius Diapers I bought worked great for Breck and they were super cute and I loved the fun colors.
*They were cute enough that I thought it was cute when he crawled around the house in his little colored diapers. They worked great to use in a few photo shoots I did with him.
*The concept of them are awesome - the snaps on the front of the diapers allow to use the diapers from infant to potty training.
*Not as many blow-outs (that I can remember!!) I feel that these diapers kept in the poop... sometimes better than disposals.
*Not many diaper rashes- I don't remember many diaper rashes with cloth.
*You can save money... buy once and reuse. Not as much disposal diaper buying.
Cons:
*The diapers, although cute are more bulky than disposals...making for your baby to have a bigger bum.
*You have to wash the diapers instead of just throwing them away. It isn't that gross to wash them since you don't touch them at all when throwing them in the wash, but it just takes time to run the rinse and then wash load then dry the inserts, then prep the diapers for use.
* When the poop goes from breast-milk-poop to solid-food-poop, they are gross and then you actually have to deal with the poo instead of just washing them. Gross.
* They aren't absorbent enough to really go through the night without leaking unless you pack the diapers full of inserts.
* I had some issues with leaking at times when I didn't put enough inserts in and waited too long to change him.
* I didn't like to use them when we went places. When we went out for a quick Target run they were fine, but anytime that he would be in someone else's care such as the church nursery or daycare or we would go out for a longer time, I would use disposals. It was kind of annoying to switch back and forth sometimes.
So there you have it, my honest opinion at cloth diapering. I am glad I did it because otherwise I would always have wondered, but then I kinda regret buying all the supplies because now I am not 100% committed to it with baby #2. I will be trying it again, but not sure for how long... who knows, there may be a slew of cloth diapering supplies for sale sooner than I thought....
*The Bum Genius Diapers I bought worked great for Breck and they were super cute and I loved the fun colors.
*They were cute enough that I thought it was cute when he crawled around the house in his little colored diapers. They worked great to use in a few photo shoots I did with him.
*The concept of them are awesome - the snaps on the front of the diapers allow to use the diapers from infant to potty training.
*Not as many blow-outs (that I can remember!!) I feel that these diapers kept in the poop... sometimes better than disposals.
*Not many diaper rashes- I don't remember many diaper rashes with cloth.
*You can save money... buy once and reuse. Not as much disposal diaper buying.
Cons:
*The diapers, although cute are more bulky than disposals...making for your baby to have a bigger bum.
*You have to wash the diapers instead of just throwing them away. It isn't that gross to wash them since you don't touch them at all when throwing them in the wash, but it just takes time to run the rinse and then wash load then dry the inserts, then prep the diapers for use.
* When the poop goes from breast-milk-poop to solid-food-poop, they are gross and then you actually have to deal with the poo instead of just washing them. Gross.
* They aren't absorbent enough to really go through the night without leaking unless you pack the diapers full of inserts.
* I had some issues with leaking at times when I didn't put enough inserts in and waited too long to change him.
* I didn't like to use them when we went places. When we went out for a quick Target run they were fine, but anytime that he would be in someone else's care such as the church nursery or daycare or we would go out for a longer time, I would use disposals. It was kind of annoying to switch back and forth sometimes.
So there you have it, my honest opinion at cloth diapering. I am glad I did it because otherwise I would always have wondered, but then I kinda regret buying all the supplies because now I am not 100% committed to it with baby #2. I will be trying it again, but not sure for how long... who knows, there may be a slew of cloth diapering supplies for sale sooner than I thought....
I love the honesty autumn :) we used fuzi bunz and loved them.....another plus, they potty train much faster! Both of my girls were fully trained by 2 years old.
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