|
|
Exploring the Option of Cloth Diapers
By Elisabeth Meyer
|
Cloth diapers are starting to make quite a comeback, and I'm not talking about your grandmother's leaky plastic diapers. Today's cloth diapers work just as well, and are almost as convenient as disposable diapers. I discovered cloth diapers when my oldest daughter was about 18 months old, and have loved using them ever since. Exploring the world of cloth diapers can be very confusing, but I hope the following article will help give you a running head start.
Why Moms Choose Cloth:
The most obvious reason to use cloth is it can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars on diapers. Many cost comparison websites estimate that using disposable diapers for an average of three years will cost you anywhere between almost $1,800 and $2,250 depending on brand. Even using the expensive super convenient cloth diapers full time costs no more than $1,500 and this includes cost estimates for washing them. Most people spend between $800 and $1,200 to diaper one child for three years. You will see huge savings if you take care of your cloth, and can use the same diapers for a subsequent child.
The second most popular reason moms choose cloth is the environment. I'm sure you are all aware that disposable diapers are a large part of landfill waste, and do not decompose well. However, have you also thought about all those poopy diapers sitting around leaking untreated human waste into the ground and eventually into the water supply? I'm not a huge environmentalist myself, but that sounds pretty yucky to me. Cloth diapers are not only reusable, but you dump the poop where it belongs in the toilet. Thus, most of the waste goes directly to a water treatment plant.
Finally, the baby's health is another reason to use cloth. Many people believe that cloth diapers cause rashes, when usually it is the opposite. Today's diapers have fleece liners that keep wetness from baby's skin. Cloth also breathes better, and feels softer to the touch. Moreover, they do not contain chemicals and perfumes that can irritate baby's skin. Some parents are nervous about the health risks of the chemicals that allow disposable diapers to be so absorbent yet thin. There are many web articles explaining the toxicity of these chemicals, and how dangerous they can be. Some of these articles can be found at www.ecobaby.com and www.mothering.com. To be fair, there are also many articles on the safety, and benefits of using disposable diapers, and the environmental repercussions of cloth diapers. If you are concerned about these issues a quick Internet search will answer any of your questions.
Types of Cloth Diapers:
It is easy to get lost in the terminology when exploring cloth diapers. There are several different types of diapers and fabrics to choose from. The four basic types of cloth diapers are pre-folds, fitteds, pocket diapers, and all-in-ones (AIO).
Pre-folds (also referred to as Chinese pre-folds) are a rectangle of either cotton or hemp that is sewn so there are two or three layers on the outside and four to eight layers on the inside. These are the most like old-fashioned cloth diapers in that you have to fold them onto your baby, but they are also the cheapest kind. They need to be changed about every two hours, and require a diaper cover to keep baby's clothes clean. Don't worry about pinning your baby. Pre-folds can be secured by using a snappi. These are little plastic T-shaped grippers that hold the diaper closed.
Fitteds are similar to pre-folds, as they require frequent changes and a diaper cover. However, they are sewn and contoured like a disposable diaper. You put them on like a disposable diaper, and secure them with either snaps or Velcro. Many fitteds have elastic sewn into the legs, and protect against leaks better than pre-folds. At around $10-$15 each, these diapers are the middle of the road as they are less expensive than the AIOs, but offer more convenience and leak protection than the pre-folds.
Pocket diapers, are my favorite type of diaper. They have an outer waterproof shell with elastic legs for avoiding leaks, and an inner fleece liner that keeps the wetness away from baby's skin.
There is an opening, usually in the back, where you stuff an insert (aka soaker) in the middle for absorbency. These diapers are great because you can adjust the absorbency to fit your baby's needs.
I use hemp "doublers" for long trips and overnight to boost absorbency without adding bulk to the diaper. You can add a doubler to any type of diaper, but the pocket keeps it in place, and the wetness away from baby.
Pocket diapers are less bulky, and more absorbent that pre-folds and fitteds. Older babies can go three or four hours between changes. However, the convenience comes with a price hike of around $20-$25 each. In my opinion, they are worth the extra money because they work as well, if not better than disposable diapers. My personal favorite brand is Fuzzi Bunz, because the fabric is so soft, and they hold up well wash after wash.
All-in-one (AIO) diapers are exactly like disposable diapers.
There is no folding, pinning, fitting, or stuffing. You simply put them on like a diaper with Velcro or snap closures.
These are the most convenient cloth diapers, and are great for baby sitters or daddies. However, because the soaker is sewn into the diaper they can be difficult to clean, and are prone to detergent build up. At $20-$30 each, they are also the most expensive kind of cloth diaper. Some of them do not have a fleece lining sewn in for wetness protection, but you can purchase fleece liners separately to lie on top of any diaper that does not have a sewn in liner.
As previously mentioned, pre-fold and fitted diapers require diaper covers. Diaper covers are a waterproof
shell that keeps your baby's clothes clean.
I love the Bummis Wraps ($12-$18 each) because the
fabric is not sticky and plasticy like some cheaper brands.
I also prefer snaps to Velcro closures because they stay on better, and hold up better in the wash (this is true of diapers too). Some moms swear by fleece or wool diaper covers because they are very absorbent, and wool is naturally antimicrobial.
I find that fleece tends to wick wetness to baby's clothes, and that wool is too expensive and hard to maintain. You can use the same diaper cover through several diaper changes so you don't need one for every pre-fold or fitted you have. If they get dirty between washes rinse them out in the sink, and line dry them for 30-40 minutes.
These are the basic styles of diapers to choose from, but there are hundreds of brands, and cuts. For example, one brand of pocket diapers may fit a thinner, longer baby better, and another is better for babies with chunkier legs. There are a few national brands, but for the most part many cloth diapers and accessories are made by small mama owned companies, and are hand sewn. The advantage of this is you are sure to find a diaper that you love (and fits your baby perfectly), as there is every combination of fabric and color choices you can think of. Also, many of these companies will be glad to sew you custom made diapers made to your specifications. The big downside to this is it is hard to know what diaper to choose. Many websites offer sample packages so you can try several types of diapers before investing big money in a particular brand. You can also buy used cloth diapers at a significant discount. People sell and trade their "fluff", as they call it, all the time. Also, there are many websites that offer great product reviews from the moms who bought the diapers. My favorite is www.diaperpin.com because they have the largest number of diapers and accessories listed, and they have a forum where you can post any questions. Be careful, cloth diapers are so adorable, and fun to shop for that it can be addictive.
How Many Diapers to Buy:
The amount and types of diapers you'll need to buy depends on the age of your baby. Newborns will go through an average of 10-12 diapers a day so you'll need about 30-36 diapers depending on how often you wash them. Older babies and toddlers use 8-10 diapers a day totaling 24-30 diapers. Most moms have more than one type of diaper in their stash. If you are a budget conscious stay at home mom, you'll have only two to four all-in-ones or pockets that you use for baby sitters and daddies. The bulk of your stash will be pre-folds or fitteds with four to six diaper covers, and four to six snappies (only for pre-folds). Of course, if you use regular childcare you probably will need to invest in mostly all-in-ones or pockets for the convenience sake, and have only a few pre-folds for at home use. If this describes you be sure to check the policies of your day care before switching to cloth as some daycares can only use disposable diapers due to state regulations. No matter how many of what type of diaper you choose, you'll need to purchase at least five to seven doublers (between $3 and $8 each) to boost absorbency at night or long car rides. My daughter is a heavy wetter so I use probably twice that amount of doublers.
You'll also need some accessories for those diapers. First, you'll need a couple of small to medium wet bags. These are washable waterproof bags that are used to store dirty diapers in your diaper bag. These come in several different sizes and colors, and they range in price from around $12 to upwards of $35 each. I recommend buying one with a zipper closure as apposed to a drawstring to keep odors from leaking out. Also, you want to look for wet bags that have all the seams on the inside, and are double lined. These bags are slightly more expensive, but are sure to keep the wetness and smells where they belong.
You will also need a diaper pail. These are simply extra large hanging wet bags. They range in price from about $25-$40, and come in a wide variety of colors. Beware of using diaper pails designed for disposable diapers as they close tightly, and don't let air in or out. It may seem like a good idea at first,
but once you open them, the extra strong ammonia smell will hit you like a ton of bricks.
Plastic pails or buckets are fine as long as the air circulates to help let out ammonia gasses.
Some people like to use diaper liners, or a mini shower. Liners are flushable and biodegradable that make cleaning up poopy diapers a breeze. You simply pull the liner off, and flush the whole mess down the toilet. They range between $7-$9 for a roll of about 100. Liners also help protect your diapers when using ointments or medications. A mini shower is a hand held sprayer. It is similar to the sprayer on your sink, but attaches to the toilet. They are great for cleaning off those very messy diapers with ease. They are a little expensive at around $45, but I found it to be well worth the money.
Caring for Cloth Diapers:
Ask ten different moms how to wash cloth diapers and you'll probably get ten different methods. Here is a run down on the basics. At first, this may all sound daunting, but it is easy once you get the routine down. Store dirty diapers in a dry diaper pail. Remember to take out any pocket diaper inserts and flush as much poop as you can down the toilet. If you have an infant that is exclusively breast-fed you can put even poopy diapers directly in the diaper pail. Sometimes as urine breaks down it can give off a strong ammonia smell. You can add a little cotton square with Tea Tree Oil to neutralize odors and bacteria in an especially dirty load.
It is best to wash your diapers every two to three days. Waiting any longer can make them difficult to get completely clean. I don't recommend using a diaper service unless you plan on only using only the service's pre-fold diapers. Diaper services tend to be really harsh on pocket diapers, all-in-ones, and some covers. Your diapers will last much longer if you wash them yourself. It is really only an extra 2 maybe 3 loads of laundry a week. Plus, the cost of using a diaper service can negate any savings over disposable diapers.
Mostly washing is a simple cold pre-wash cycle, followed by a very hot water regular cycle, and a double cold-water rinse. It is important to note that you cannot use regular detergents or soap on cloth diapers. You also cannot use any fabric softener in either the washer or dryer. These things build up over time in your diapers and make them smell bad and leak. Most manufacturers recommend using either Charlie's Soap or Allen's Natural products. For poopy stains you can use a natural solvent such as BioKleen Bac-Out. None of these products are very expensive, and one bottle will last several months. Some people find that adding baking soda to the pre-wash and vinegar to the first rinse helps clean and soften your diapers. All pre-folds, fitteds, and inserts can go directly into the dryer. However, most diaper covers and PLU pocket diapers should be hung out to dry. Drying in the sun helps to get out stains and kill any remaining bacteria.
One last thing to consider when caring for cloth diapers is you cannot use regular diaper rash cream. This is especially true of brands that contain fish oils. The oils do not wash out well, and make your diapers smell really bad, and become leaky. All cloth diaper stores offer a natural alternative that is safe to use with cloth. If you have to use creams or medications on your baby's bottom don't worry. You can scrub any build up out with a soft toothbrush and Dawn dish soap. Also, you can "strip" your diapers (basically give them an extra good washing) about every six months. Just follow the manufacturer's instructions for washing and striping. It may take some trial and error, but after a few washes you'll come up with a washing routine that works perfectly for your city's type of water, and the type of diapers you use.
The Downside to Using Cloth Diapers:
I personally love my cloth diapers, and I think my baby prefers wearing them too. However, there are a few issues to consider before going all out. First, switching from disposable to cloth can be expensive initially. Over time it will save you money, but we're talking about a $250-$500 investment up front. Buying a few diapers at a time can help disperse the initially large expense. Another issue is cloth diapers are very hard to travel with. If you're just going to grandmas, and have access to a quality washing machine it is no big deal. Going on a vacation to say the beach is another thing entirely. You don't want to put your gorgeous expensive diapers into a coin-operated machine at a laundry mat, nor will you want to spend vacation time laundering them. I always use disposable diapers when I'm away from home.
The other major issue is that even the trimmest cloth diaper is not as thin as a disposable one. Thus, your little one's bottom may be a little bigger when wearing cloth. I think that babies wearing cloth diapers look adorable, but they don't always fit properly in pants. Today's clothes are cut for use with disposable diapers, so you should not buy clothes that are cut particularly narrow. With my oldest daughter there were only one or two occasions when her baby clothes did not fit over the cloth diapers. It did happen more frequently once she started wearing size 3T, because I think clothing manufacturers assume most kids that big are potty trained. Truth be told, it was only a couple of months before she was potty trained. Additionally, there are companies that make clothes specifically cut for use with cloth.
I can't say enough how much I love my soft, extra cute cloth diapers. They are a really good alternative to disposables, but they are not for everyone. As you can probably tell from the length of this article there is a lot to think about when considering making the switch. Luckily, the Internet has a plethora of information on the subject. Also, so many people are using cloth now that most major cities have cloth diaper stores. These are great places to get advice from other cloth diapering moms. It may take a little effort on your part, but cloth diapering is worth at least looking into.
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
