So as I have posted before, we started using cloth diapers. I was pretty reluctant at first due to MANY comments from friends and family that using them would be the most. disgusting. thing. ever. However, that is not what I have discovered. Here is my final post and official review of all things cloth diapers.
First off, you should know that before cloth I was a die hard Pampers fan. I have talked about how to save on disposables in this post and considered myself pretty savvy in the diaper saving arena. Still, we were spending about $80-$100 every four to six weeks on diapers. That was after we got Belle potty trained, we were spending MUCH more when we had both girls in diapers.
The cloth diapers I purchased come from a company called Green Bees. I met the owner at a Just Between Friends sale where she entered a MK drawing. Before her, I literally knew nothing about cloth diapers other than what I knew from my mom who cloth diapered decades ago. So I could not have told you about prefolds or pocket diapers or all in ones or anything else. She showed me her diapers, I liked them and I (eventually) decided to try them. In total I spent $280 for 30 diapers, two pail liners, 36 cloth wipes and 2 wet bags (think what you would put in a diaper bag to hold dirty diapers when out and about). You should also know to score all these great things I took advantage of a sale and a package deal Green Bees was offering. Buying individually would be more expensive. I was able to justify the cost considering Molly will be in diapers at the minimum for 4-6 months more and using them just for her would already be a savings.
The breakdown on cost is that just using them for Molly until she is potty trained will save me anywhere from $120 to $320, assuming I am lucky enough to have Molly out of diapers at 24 months. Once you add in the savings for Baby J, (assuming a boy will only be in diapers for 24 months also...HA) will be between $2500-$2700. Neither of those figures take into account the savings from using cloth wipes!!! Talk about a money saver.
Are you a mom? Could you stand to save thousands during the first two years of your baby's life? Think of all the massages and pedicures you could afford?
Anyway.....now let me address the concerns (or at least what my concerns were)
1. Gross out factor...mainly poop on the diapers. What do you do and how gross is it?
If you have a baby you have already dealt with poop. Probably at least one blowout. That is gross, right? Cloth diapers aren't any worse. In fact from what I have heard, cloth are like totally blowout proof. I will confirm that with Baby J. If you are worried about how to get the poo off the diaper (Molly's just usually falls right off into the toilet), you can get a diaper sprayer, or if you are handy, you can make your own. Problem solved.
2. The smell.
We keep the diaper pail in the garage where we kept the disposable dirty diapers so we really notice no difference. Yes, you do have to bring them in to wash them, so that is something, but I have learned to start the washer before bringing them in so I can just dump in and go. I do a cold rinse cycle, and then a hot wash with an extra rinse. I also use homemade laundry detergent to save even more money. You can find the recipe on Green Bees page also.
3. Leaking.
We have had a leak or two, but it was not the diapers fault. It was human error with the insert and we have learned our lesson. Once you put on one or two you get the hang of it and leaks should not be a problem. We also learned that with Molly we have to use two inserts during nap and bedtime so she doesn't soak through.
4. Church, Bible Study, Grandparents.
I am still trying to navigate outings for church and Bible study. I have not yet put her in a cloth diaper for either of those and am not sure if I will. I am concerned they won't put the new on one correctly, won't change her due to fear of what to do or not wanting to handle it....so I am using up my stash of disposables at the moment. Same for when grandparents visit. The grandparents will eventually have to learn, but not sure how I am going to handle church and Bible study yet. I will keep you posted.
Overall, I love them. I wish I had done this sooner and can't believe how much money I am going to save. If you are 'green' then you appreciate that I am not filling up landfills with disposables either. Jason doesn't even mind them. He still changes just as many diapers as he did before. He still doesn't complain. I have a great husband.
The cloth wipes are great also. You can used cut up t-shirts or baby washcloths. Put the wipes in a container and then pour the mixture over the wipes. The recipe for the mixture for the wipes comes from Green Bees also.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp baby wash
2 c water
Mix together, pour mixture over wipes, shake container and you are good to go.
I was going to get a wipe warmer to keep them in and still might, but for now they are in a Tupperware and are working out just great.
If you are looking for ways to save money, or if you are looking for ways to be more earth friendly, I encourage you to try cloth diapers. If you are reluctant, buy a few (I started with five) and try them out during the day when you are home to see how easy they are. Yes, you will be doing laundry often with a small load, but at least you can decide if it is for you or not. Worst case scenario? You hate them and can resell them on craigslist. Yes, people buy used cloth diapers.
Toodles!
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