question about cloth diapers

[mrhodgeswife]

so im thinking about for this next baby but i have some questions trying to figure out prices. Please dont give me any links to websites i've looked at plenty it still doesnt answer my questions really. My sister uses them but she has a diaper service so she cant really help me on these questions.

First off how many times a week do you wash the diapers? My days are busy an most times i do all the laundry on the weekend no matter how many loads. So once a week would probally be the best i could do. Maybe twice if the load in the middle of the week was only diapers. 

How many diapers last you a week if you only do laundry once a week?

How many diapers if you do laundry twice a week?

Do you have to keep buying diapers periodicly or do you get enough in the begining to last for months or untill they get in a bigger size?

About how much did it cost you total to get all the diapers and covers you needed for a period of time?

 

If anyone can help i would appriciate it.

[mrhodgeswife]

To amend my post i understand the users of clother diapers argument that its better for the enviroment but im having a hard time seeing how its cheaper. The sites ive been looking at to get diapers the cheapest you still have to buy covers and water proof shells and all that and the most expensive is the all in one diapers. But it costs so much just to get enough diapers to last long enough untill wash day. Even if you wash every couple days they go threw a couple a day.  How is that cheaper than paying 20$ for a box of 100 or more diapers. The cheapest diapers ive seen so far that have feedback saying they actually work are about 20$ for one diaper. For the number of diapers a baby goes threw a week, plus the fact that after a while the baby gets bigger and you need a bigger size. I dont know it just doesnt seem cheaper in the long run. Its like you paying everything up front.

[AirborneWifee]

join cuties with cloth booties! they have a LOT of info..and yes it costs to start it up..but in the end it saves you money..you have to buy WAHM diapers and even get some used ones...there are one size diapers..but they fit about 9-10lbs and up. Most use prefolds for newborns and then use their one size diapers after that. most say about 13 or so diapers a day..some have enough to wash every 3days..other wash every day or two to do what they have to..most dont wait too long to wash because they start to smell horrible. some people dont like PUL..and their babies are allergic to it..they use wool or fleece covers...some even start to make their own diapers...i personally loved it..i havent with my son because all my diapers are still in AK waiting to be shipped here *my dad...still hasnt*

but if you join the group and read up on posts you can find all the info you need from the experts...

[MamaToLucas]

Yep, here's a link (is that allowed?): http://www.cafemom.com/group/34752 Fair warning, though, some of the mamas in there are nuts (in a good way) and have RIDICULOUS stashes, and yes, there is no way they've saved money. However, it can definitely be done.

I agree with AirborneWifee. I used prefolds til about 2 months, with covers. They're pretty cheap. Once your baby is big enough for one-size diapers, you don't have to ever buy more. I would just start buying them one or two at a time starting now, that way it won't be a ton to start out with.

I wouldn't go more than 4 days MAX before washing, and keep in mind that the longer you go, the more you need. I do wash every 3 days, and I have about 30 diapers. This way once I do wash I have a few left over. You can definitely get by with fewer diapers, too, and just wash every 2 days. You can get good one-size diapers from $15-35 each, depending on how much you want to spend (or how badly you want a certain print, haha). Prefolds are cheap. Pockets are cheaper than fitteds, and don't require a cover ($10-18ish) and all-in-ones are more expensive, but don't need covers ($20-40ish?).

I made almost all of my son's diapers, so it just cost me materials (about 8-12 per diaper, depending) plus the covers...I have a lot of wool, which is pricier, but you can go with many cheaper options (I also have a lot of fleece, which I LOVE--cheap and easy to care for).

Let me know if you have more questions.

Quoting AirborneWifee:

join cuties with cloth booties! they have a LOT of info..and yes it costs to start it up..but in the end it saves you money..you have to buy WAHM diapers and even get some used ones...there are one size diapers..but they fit about 9-10lbs and up. Most use prefolds for newborns and then use their one size diapers after that. most say about 13 or so diapers a day..some have enough to wash every 3days..other wash every day or two to do what they have to..most dont wait too long to wash because they start to smell horrible. some people dont like PUL..and their babies are allergic to it..they use wool or fleece covers...some even start to make their own diapers...i personally loved it..i havent with my son because all my diapers are still in AK waiting to be shipped here *my dad...still hasnt*

but if you join the group and read up on posts you can find all the info you need from the experts...

[mamajen07]

it typically works out in the long run. the initial cost is higher, but you don't have to continue buying diapers. i'm pretty sure if you don't go overboard and buy too many the cost would even out within a few months! =)

[peaches_04]

i use the pocket diapers( the all in ones are nice but take liek 3 days to dry)  i spent about 200$ on the lot of mine.

check out craigs list alot of moms will get cloth diapers for baby shower presents and refuse to use them so they'll sell them pretty cheap. i just bought 5 brand new still in the packages bum genius diapers off a lady for only 25$....im guessing she was too lazy to look into the going rate

[Mrs.MM3Guckian]

Wow that is crazy awesome! Good steal! :)

Quoting peaches_04:

i use the pocket diapers( the all in ones are nice but take liek 3 days to dry)  i spent about 200$ on the lot of mine.

check out craigs list alot of moms will get cloth diapers for baby shower presents and refuse to use them so they'll sell them pretty cheap. i just bought 5 brand new still in the packages bum genius diapers off a lady for only 25$....im guessing she was too lazy to look into the going rate

[LivinwithMIL]

Im into size 5-6 time so we are using G-Diapers, these work great and we bought two diapers and a 6 pack of liners. They all have to be washed by the end of the day but they are durable and then we use disposable at night as the cloth diapers usually leak a little then. We spent about 60 on the two diapers and pack of liners but it saves alot when in this size you get much less in the disposable packs. I recomend this switch but for cleaning purposes i wouldnt do cloth diaers for smaller sizes.

[MamaToLucas]

Just a note on anyone thinking of switching to gDiapers...unless you use the cloth inserts, they're really not much better than "real" disposables. Research has shown that it's actually not good to flush them, and they take WAY longer to biodegrade than they claim (especially since for optimal conditions to biodegrade, they'd need access to oxygen...which they don't get in the landfill).

Plus, they're WAY expensive.