Cloth Diapering

I’m sure you all are well aware of the impact that disposable diapers have on our environment, so I’ll save the rant on that and just give you my $.02 on cloth diapering.

First of all, there is a world of options when it comes to cloth diapering.  I was really overwhelmed when I started thinking about doing it for my second child.  There are pocket diapers, all-in-one diapers, traditional prefold diapers, and fitted diapers.  Then you have the option to go organic.  And then you have to decide where is the best place to buy the diapers!  My hope is that I’ll help save you a little time on your search by listening to my experience and advice.

What I chose was the prefolds with a cover.  This is the least expensive way to start out.  The diapers are between $1-2 each, depending on where you shop, and the covers I’ve went with are an average of $15 each.  (I do recommend buying Indian or Chinese prefolds over the Target or Walmart diapers.  They are longer lasting and more absorbent.)  During my search I went on quite a few forums for advice from other cloth diapering Moms.  Of course I heard tons of differing advice and opinions, but there was one morsel of motherly wisdom that stuck with me and sent me on my way into making a cloth diapering decision:

Start with the prefolds because they are the least expensive, they work well, and once you’ve got some cloth diaper experience under your belt (for you and baby),  you can switch to another type of diaper if you wish.

This is precisely what I did.  I’m 11 months into using prefolds–minus a lot of hours practicing EC, but using them for outings and potty striking times–and I’m still really happy with them.  The switch from disposable to cloth was really not that big of a deal.  I don’t find it to be too inconvenient, either.  I use the dry pail method for storing the dirty diapers.  It’s pretty simple: throw the soiled diaper in the pail, close it, wait until it’s full, then do a load.  When I am consistently using diapers, I’ll be doing a laundry load about every other day.  And when you have more than one child, doing laundry is a constant thing, so that aspect has not been hard to get used to.  I also use only detergent and a few drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil for odor elimination.  Then, dry the diapers either in the dryer, or throw them on the clothes line outside.  The sun and a little bit of lemon juice work well for getting out stains.  I say, stains schmains.  They’re diapers!  Who cares?

Hopefully this helps.  The information out there on cloth diapering is endless, so I’ve complied a brief list of the best sources that I’ve found for anything or any question you might have.

A good website with all types of diapers, accessories, forums, and information: CottonBabies.com

Washing instructions: diaperpin.com and diaperjungle.com

Local place to buy diapers: ToastyBaby.com