Going Paperless--CLOTH DIAPER Editon

There are a lot of links. CLICK ON THEM!!

Wait! Don't click the "x" and close this window. I'm sorry! I'm SORRY! I know, it's like totally crunchy, out-there, weird, wackado-ish. BUT! It can also save you BUTT-LOADS of money.

BUTT-LOADS!

I'm not joking.

On average, disposable diapers cost from birth-toilet training about $2500*.

Even with factoring in laundry detergent and water to wash, it's a FRACTION. A FRACTION, I say. At the VERY cheapest version, it's like $400. At the fanciest, it's around $1400. It will SAVE YOU MONEY!

And who in the world doesn't want to save money? HELL-O!

So, peruse that there website I linked and see for yourself.

I will NOT be discussing all the different types of cloth diapers. There are All-in-ones, pocket diapers, chinese prefolds, flats, etc etc etc. Go HERE and see for yourself.

Now, a bit of history for you (aren't you SO excited??):

I've been cloth diapering for four years, ever since I got downsized at my job. We went from barely making it with my 40 hours a week to really really really not making it on 20. So, I knew what i had to do. I went CHEAP. Gerber cloth diapers from Wal-mart, pins and plastic pants. My entire investment was 24 dollars. Less than one large box of disposables.

Over the years, I have increased my investment to wonder wrap covers, chinese prefolds and snappi closures.  (Each of those is a link, CLICK ON IT!).

Now, I am on baby #3 of cloth diapering, and I have it down to an art.

HOW TO CLOTH DIAPER:

Regardless of the type of diaper you select, you pretty much do it the same. You diaper baby, you change every two or so hours. If it's poopy and solid, you shake it off, if it's just wet, chuck it in the diaper pail. It's runny poopy, that's your own call. You can swish in the toilet and plop in the pail or just chuck it in the pail.

SIDENOTE: Did you know you're supposed to shake and flush poop even with disposable diapers? Don't believe me? Go check your packaging. It's in small letters, but it's there.

WAIT! Diaper pail? EW! The very name makes you creepy right?

Relax. It's just a bucket with a tight-fitting lid, large enough to hold two days worth of dirty diapers and covers. This is one is VERY cheap. It's the one I have, it's perfectly workable. I've used the same one for the entire time.

If you WANT you can use a pail liner. You don't have to. Either way, you DO NOT put any sort of cleaner, water or solution in the pail. That's just plain gross. EW.

Anyway, so you dump the contents of the pail into the washer, run a cold rinse cycle, then a HOT wash cycle with detergent (how ever much is recommended by your diaper brand, it's usually a VERY SMALL AMOUNT.) If you're worried about the smell, you can put 1/4 cup of vinegar in it as well.

NO BLEACH.
NO STAIN SPRAY.
NO FABRIC SOFTENER.

These destroy your diapers.

Line-dry if you can. It bleaches out any stains. If they are crunchy after, throw them in the dryer for like 10 minutes.

If line-drying isn't an option, just pop them in the dryer for a cycle. NO DRYER SHEET.

And bam, you've got clean cloth diapers.
****

Now, the decision to cloth diaper does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice. Lots of people just cloth diaper at home. Or during the day. Lots of people use day cares that won't allow cloth diapers, but you can do it in the evenings and weekends if you want. You do what works. But any amount of cloth diapering is going to save you money.

Let's talk about the environment. There is some argument to suggest that potty waste dirties so much water with flushing poop, AND washing that it is not actually better for the environment than disposable diapers. This is poo-poo. Water is restored, cleaned and renewed all the time.

Disposables end up in landfills.

From Wired.com:
Diapers made up 3.4 million tons of waste, or 2.1 percent of U.S. garbage, in landfills in 1998 -- the last year this information was collected, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Diapers in landfills in underdeveloped countries are especially problematic because they often aren't properly disposed, and excrement leaks into the local water supply.Read More http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2004/04/63182#ixzz0jzMT1VKS


Now, look, I get that cloth diapering isn't for everyone. I GET IT. I have a good friend who is a great mom and cloth diapering is NOT her thing. That's COOL. I truly understand that lifestyles differ, finances are different, everyone's "ew" factor is different. But if you have ever considered it, if you think, "Yeah, that's not so bad," then it might be worth trying. Give it a whirl. Most people are nervous at first, and most people end up loving it. It's very easy. It's not leaky or dirty. It's just a totally viable option for people looking to simpllfy their budgets and their lives. 2-3 extra loads of laundry a week, that's it.

There is an initial investment. How much that is is YOUR choice. But once you pay out, that's it. ONCE. You may to buy a new cover or diaper on occasion, especially if you diaper multiple children, but it's a few dollars here and there.

(We'll cover wipes another day, but there ARE cloth wipes!)


Don't stress if you simply can not fathom cloth diapering. But do TRY and consider it, if you're in that place in your life. It's good for baby, it's good for your budget and it's great for the environment. It's a really good all-around thing to do. It's BEAUTIFUL!

If not, we can still be friends. HONEST.

*photo from hatice2.bloguez.com