Cloth Diapers: Back By Popular Demand!

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When I first started blogging I was at freewebs.com – I posted about my cloth diapering experience there but the post did not make the Wordpress move.

Now, that I’m here I have not had the opportunity to really discuss my experience…I’ve mentioned before that I use bumGenius 2.0, All In One (AIO) diapers but haven’t gone into great detail.

Before Tristan was born I knew I was going to cloth diaper. I had no idea how popular it’d become until I started scouring the net. UPDATE: Check out www.diaperpin.com for reviews on diapers, slings, etc. I based my decision on which cloth diaper I was going to invest in based on the comments there. I found so many different types of diapers I was completely overwhelmed but was also filled with delight that cloth diapers were now functional, stylish and modern. I couldn’t wait to jump on board. Cloth diapering has actually been a money saver and I honestly don’t mind doing the dirty laundry at all. I chose bum Genius “dipes” because they were very close to what a disposable diaper, AKA “sposie” was like. I liked the velcro tabs feature as opposed to the snaps. At the time, I didn’t think the snaps would be ideal. I’m totally over that now!

Little did I know that snaps were an awesome feature until I received my Fuzzi Bunz in the mail – AKA “fluffy mail”. It is the only other brand of cloth dipes that I’ve used I even have about 8 old skool dipes- you know the burb cloth style- but these have velcro tabs! No pins, here. I would love to expand my cloth diaper stash and have a variety. There are just soooo many different styles, colors, and prints that it seems worth it to have a more than one brand. I’m sure you’re curious about how well they function.

Sorry for the pic- would’ve been a better one of the stash but diapers were in the laundry!

bumGenius diapers have great leak guard protection and hold up well overnight. Sometimes, I add a doubler in for extra protection which is a hemp liner that lie flat inside diaper before fastening the diaper tabs. It depends on whether you have a heavy wetter or not and how often your baby pees. Clark requires a doubler inside his dipe at all times. Tristan was mainly at night. The diapers are easy to wash and laundry becomes part of your routine.

When the diapers are soiled I place them into a dry pail (plast ic trash can) can wash them every other day. I’ve gone 2 days before…but that’s really stretching it. I don’t recommend doing that. It will cause your diapers to smell like ammonia which could eventually lead to a diaper rash. I wash my dipes on cold cycle first no detergent then wash again on hot with detergent. When we’re out we place the soiled diapers into what’s known as a “wet bag”. It’s a very simple process.

We also have a pail liner much like the “wet bag”. You can toss in the wet bag with the pail liner and dipes. These are items that you can do without, honestly. I bought them up front with DS #1 (dear son) and used them for sure. I haven’t really used the pail liner much because it seems easier to go without as long as you keep the pail clean. Ewww, stinky! You can reuse a plastic bag or Ziploc bags for dirty dipes or make your own wet bag.

We use Allen’s Naturally on our dipes and for washing clothes. It’s pretty darn expensive but’s it’s biodegradable and is recommended for cloth diapers. Today, I actually ordered Charlies Soap and am excited to test it out. I’m trying to cut back on my plastic intake so I’m looking for detergents that come in paper or cloth. I’m going to figure out how to make my own and share it! I’ve also used Planet detergent in the past and really like the way it’s cleaned the dipes. I always add about a 1/4-1/2 cup of borax to the wash to help keep the dipes nice and brightly white.I wash on cold first, no detergent…then wash on hot with detergent and run again on cold without detergent. I always line dry my when possible. One downside to that is that it can take all day if it isn’t summer out- even in the dryer. Minor detail- very minor.

With cloth diapering comeS cloth wiping! Since my last cloth wiping post I have alternated between the use of the wipes warmer and a spray or peri bottle. We don’t use a warmer pad in the warmer itself and just add in the wipes and dump in the water. They get used up so fast that they don’t get discolored of funky smelling. I think that has a lot to do with having two. Oh! and for the poopies you invest in a diaper spray and spray the poo directly into the toilet. No dunking like the old days. I love the diaper sprayer because it also serves as a hand washing tool for my toddler and makes rinsing out the tub after I cleaned it a breeze.

My number one reason for cloth diapering though was to keep my sons bottom free from plastic and toxic chemicals such as bleach and dioxin (and to save the EARTH).  I love the fact that my baby is comfy in his fluffy. I have two organic AIO bumGenius dipes that I just bought and love. They’ve been put to the test and so far hold up fantastic. Going the organic diaper route is ideal but can get costly though. Actually, all of the dipes have held up great- I’m impressed.

Last summer, I cloth diapered on our trip to Hawaii. If there’s a washer and dryer available I will totally make it happen. We’ve camped before and it just wasn’t an option. I use Nature Care sposies that actually biodegrade and are made without harsh chemicals when camping in an area that I can wash my the fluffies. You can find Nature Care at Target. Seventh Generation is also another disposable brand and the hybrid of disposables are gdiapers. I haven’t tried gdiapers yet. Think of all the sposies being thrown into the landfills on a daily basis.

Cloth diapering may sound intimidating but once you get the hang of things and figure it out- you’ll agree with the rest of the cloth diapering community that it rocks! The initial investment may be costly but overall you’re going to save a ton of money and the Earth.

A few facts to consider:

The instructions on a disposable diaper package advice that all fecal matter should be deposited in the toilet before discarding, yet less than one half of one percent of all waste from single-use diapers goes into the sewage system.

Over 92% of all single-use diapers end up in a landfill.

No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is estimated to be about 250-500 years, long after your children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone.

Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste.  In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.

Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp.

Two years has passed since I first began my cloth diapering journey so much has evolved- my BG diapers size, small had withstood the many washes and are now being uses. There’s definitely a buzz going around about them.  I’m all about debunking the cloth diaper rumors! I ordered my bumGenius dipes and accessories at www.cottonbabies.com.   Check out their Growing Up In Cloth program- reason #1 for choosing BG dipes. Also, if your velcro tabs wear, they’ll send you replacements for free!

Another favorite:

www.jilliansdrawers.com

Fluffy mail wish list:

www.gadbaby.com

www.rumparooz.com

www.smartipants.com

www.es_baby.com

www.applecheeks.com

www.thenaturalbabyco.com – Grobaby diapers.

On top of this cloth diapering biz I’ve also been EC’ing part-time with the boy- seperate post.  Oh! and did I mention potty training. Aye Carumba!

More to come~

Do you cloth diaper? If so, what is your favorite dipe?

If not, what is your biggest drawback?