In case there are any new moms or expectant mothers out there considering cloth diapers, this post is for you! :) (Before I continue - I do use disposables when we travel out of town. It's just been more convenient so far. Maybe at some point I'll change my mind and try traveling with cloth... we'll see!)
But as far as at home, I don't remember a time when I wasn't considering cloth diapering. It's probably because it's all I knew growing up - I was 9 when my twin sisters were born and remember all the cute little duckie and frog safety pins! (And the diaper pail for dirty diapers in the basement laundry area, haha!) I'd have to consult my mom to see if I ever helped in this area though... :)
The biggest consideration though was saving money - one site I read estimated saving between $2000 and $3000 per year by cloth diapering. I imagine you can also think of other ways to spend that other than on diapers! :)
So, before we got the call for C, I had done some research and talked to a number of friends about what they liked. I ended up using the following:
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| BumGenius All-in One with Newborn Insert |
I chose the snap closure simply because I don't care for velcro and I thought they would last longer. As in more adoptions! :) I love that they have so many options for the snaps so they really do "grow" with the baby. I use one of the thick inserts during the day (or two of the newborn inserts) and at night I do a double stuff with 2 of the thick inserts. It helps so that I don't always have to do a diaper change at night if he just wakes up for a quick feeding.
I have a total of 24 diapers. I originally planned to purchase them through BuyBuyBaby but found out I couldn't use coupons on them. I found them online at
Kelly'sCloset where there was a Buy 5 Get 1 Free deal. I think there are more websites that offer this kind of deal, I just can't remember where.
I also snagged four packs of these cloth wipes:
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| BumGenius flannel wipes (12 pack) |
As far as cleaning goes, I do a quick rinse in my washing machine (about 20 minutes), then I add soap (I am currently using Dreft detergent. I tried BumGenius detergent but realized despite being HE, it wasn't disolving in my machine - ewe!) I also used the Method Free & Clear Laundry detergent when I had it. I also, despite the recommendations, use a little more than the recommended amount of cleaner. Probably about half the amount of normal laundry load, while 1/4 the amount is recommended.
Once a month I wash the diapers with some bleach to help with odors.
I have tried the following sprays to help reduce stains (I haven't noticed any though and I'm not always consistent with using one of the sprays):
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| BabyGanics Stain Remover |
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| BumGenius Odor Remover |
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| Bac-Out |
By far, my favorite is the Bac-Out spray - simply because it smells like lime and reminds me of lime popsicles, haha!
Now I feel a little weird discussing this, but here goes... C's poo was typical for a baby on commercial formula for the first 3 1/2 months - it changed a little when we switched from Enfamil to Similac - Similac it was supposed to look more like that of a breast-fed baby. Is that true? Not sure.
When I switched to the homemade formula at about 4 months (I have another post in the works on that), his poo became more like that of a baby who started eating solids. It's solid enough that I can usually wipe it off the diaper or peel it (sorry!) and put it in the toilet.
I do a load of diapers every 2-3 days. It helps that I bought a lot. I heard anywhere from 18-24 recommended for newborns. Also, if you have children close in age, both in diapers, it would be helpful to have more on hand.
Oh, and finally - I put the used diapers in one of these
bags:
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| Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Diaper Bag |
They are great. I haven't noticed any smells which of course is what I was hoping for! I have a large one and one small one that I use when out running errands. I'd probably recommend 2 large ones so you have a place to store dirty diapers when you're laundering the bag (which I just throw in the washer and dryer with the diapers), but you can manage with one.
I've really found it remarkably easy (for the most part DH has too) and I also think C notices more when he is wet/messy. Maybe that will be easier when potty training? Here's hoping!
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! :)
