Before my daughter was born, my husband and I made the decision that we would diaper our child with cloth diapers. She only uses disposables overnight or if we are out visiting friends or family.
There were several reasons why we made this decision:
First of all, cloth diapers are inexpensive in comparison to disposable diapers. Plus, we get to use them again on our second child, thus the savings are even greater!
Secondly, you can’t deny, cloth diapers are gentler on the environment. Yes, we have to use water and electricity to launder them but at least they are not taking up space in the landfills.
Lastly, there are chemicals in the majority of commercial disposable diapers. We like the fact that we choose the fabric that will touch our daughter’s bottom and that we can choose how we will launder the diapers.
Making the choice to use cloth diapers does not need to be overwhelming. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Here are some great tips for using cloth diapers with your baby! #clothdiapers #babycare Click To TweetSelecting a brand of cloth diapers
* Most parents, prior to their child being born, buy a couple packages of disposable diapers every month leading up to their child’s birth. Instead, purchase a couple cloth diapers a month. I would suggest buying a few different brands, that way you can try out which ones you like before investing in a whole set.
* Look for all-in-one diapers. They’re generally more expensive but you can often forego the liner and wrap when using all-in-ones.
* Look for diapers that are good for multiple ages/stages. Cloth diaper manufacturers are getting quite clever by making diapers that will last a child from birth all the way up to 4 years of age!
* Believe it or not there are some companies that allow you to rent your diapers for specified time periods for as little as $15-$30 per week. What’s great about this system is you can try out various brands of cloth diapers before committing to a major purchase.
* Cloth diapers tend to be a hot item on discount or deal-of-the-day websites. Check out this great list of discount deal-of-the-day websites.
* Ask around. Do your friends have a brand of cloth diaper that they would recommend?
What do I need?
* It’s best to have 24 – 36 diapers to start with. This way you are only doing laundry every 3-4 days.
* Your brand of cloth diaper will dictate what accessories you need (i.e. liners, wraps, etc.)
* A diaper pail.
* A diaper wet bag.
* If you’re laundering your own diapers, you might as well make your own wipes too! Here are the instructions to make your own wipes.
Laundering cloth diapers
* Most cloth diapers come with laundering instructions. Follow these instructions as closely as you can, as proper laundering will ensure that your diapers will have a long life.
* I love using Eco-Nuts / Soap Nuts to launder my fluff. If you haven’t heard of these companies, make sure to check them out!
* Your diapers will eventually stain. The best way to remove stains is to let the diapers dry in the sun after laundering. Make sure to have the stained side facing up. Lemon juice is also a very effective way to remove stains from your fluff. Combine this with drying your fluff in the sun and your diapers will look great!
* If you don’t want the task of laundering your own diapers, you could always choose a diaper service. I would only suggest you consider the type and amount of chemicals that are used to wash the diapers. You may want to launder the diapers anyway (in order to remove any chemical residue before your child wears them).
Storage of dirty diapers
* As mentioned previously, a diaper pail is a must-have item.
* We attached a diaper sprayer to the side of our toilet. This way we can easily rinse the waste from the diapers into the toilet without having to get the entire diaper and/or our hands wet. Spayers can be purchased from many companies but they can also be made. I found a great blog which gives step-by-step instructions for making your own diaper sprayer attachment.
* When out and about, a diaper wet bag is a must. There are so many styles and brands available. These items can also be found at local stores, on Etsy and through various websites on the internet.
Done with diapering? Now what?
* Some places will buy used cloth diapers if they are in good condition (another reason why you should launder them properly).
* Sell them on Kijiji, Craigslist or eBay
* Offer them to a friend or family member.
* Donate them to a local woman & children’s shelter.
Cloth diapering doesn’t have to be intimidating or overwhelming. We love Using our cloth diapers and with these tips, you’ll be a cloth diaper pro too!
Do you have any tips or suggestions about cloth diapering? Feel free to share in the comment section below!
I love using cloth diapers! And using them at night and when we go out is so easy (I used disposables at night and to go out with my first). In fact, I find my cloth dipes to be better at night than the disposables. Hooray! And that reminds me – I have to go get my dipes from the dryer right now (they literally take 15 min max to dry). Happy diapering :)
Thanks for your comments.
Natalie: I hope that with this second child we can use the cloth diapers at night as well. I found a new brand (Grovia) and they are awesome… I think they can survive a night of urine. We’ll see!
I am a cloth convert as well. When my daughter was 18 months old, I started using them, and never, ever, in a million years would have thought that I’d like them. Though she’s potty trained during the day, I still use them for when she sleeps. I wrote about my cloth diapering adventure here:
Hi,
Thanks for visiting my blog “A Little Joy For Today”.
Very well article.
I “facebook” it.
I also have used cloth diapers on my 2 sons. But in those days, they weren’t so cute.
I can believe the choise that your parents have today.
]
Hi Maria;
I’m glad you liked this posting. You’re right about the choices parents have. My daughters are 3 1/2 years apart (my oldest is four) and the diapers changed a lot even in that small of a time frame!
Our new home has a clothes line :-) So as soon as the sun comes out we plan to cloth diaper for the summer … should be an interesting adventure! But there are some wonderfully bright cloth diapers out there so even my clothes line will be stylin the colour!
I’m a cloth diaper mama too! I love to line dry our diapers!