Cloth Diapering

[Kenre]

If you are one of those moms who want to learn to cloth diaper, or are just seeking to answer your questions on why some of us are doing it and how here's the posts for you:

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1449666/Cloth_Diapering_101_PT_1

http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1450500/Cloth_Diapering_101_PT_2

Now it's not for everyone, and I understand that. I'm not here to say you have to cloth diaper. I am asking for cloth diapering mom's to help me on a mission here. There are mom's who want to cloth diaper, or try it out, and need our help, advice, and expertise (meaning we do it or have done it so know what we're talking about.)

I have a series of questions that I would think new cloth diapering mom's might ask should they be given the chance. Please, cloth diapering moms, can you answer these questions and PM the answers to me. I am going to do the research (cost for cloth compared to disposable, popular cloth diapers off of major sites, and after all of the stuff comes in, where to buy cheap), but first hand accounts are always welcome.

Please, send me the PM and push "yes" on the popular vote for more cloth diapering mom's to answer. Thank you!

QUESTIONS:

• How long have you been cloth diapering?:
• What was your reason for cloth diapering? (voluntary question):
• What brands have you tried?:
• What brand do you use currently? or What brand was your best brand?:
• Why did you chose that brand?:
• Did you cloth wipe?:
• How did you wash your diapers?:
• Did you presoak your diapers?:
• What soap did you use to wash your diapers?:
• How did you dry your diapers?:
• What exactly, besides the diapers, did you buy for the process of cloth diapering?:
• Did you figure in the cost of disposables compared to cloth in your area? (water, electricity, and soap per wash):
• Could you tell me how much you saved or spent more in one year on your cloth diapering compared to disposable?

Thank you for answering everything. I know it's daunting, but I don't want to help moms without giving good information. If you know other cloth diapering mom's on here, can you have them fill in the answers and send them to me? I will be doing more research and hope to have my first journal, Cloth Diapering 101, done by next Monday. I will continue to update with newer diapers, how to's and such for later mom's as well.

[aurorabunny]

Apr. 20, 2009 at 7:34 PM

I PMed you. :)

[MagickalMommy]

Apr. 20, 2009 at 8:44 PM

Pm'd you

[Meandmyadalee]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 7:02 AM

I am one of those who would love to try but I have a problem...so here is my question...

How would you do it if you lived in an apartment complex and didn't have a washer in your apartment? (Washing everyday at the laundry mat is not an option.Once a week is when we wash.)

[coolmommyof3]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 11:02 AM

I think it would be a good idea to have all moms view what other moms feel right here, too.  So, I'm happy to share with you my info on cloth diapering.

How long have you been cloth diapering?:  2 years

What was your reason for cloth diapering? (voluntary question):  dd was allergic to disposable diapers

What brands have you tried?:  WAHM brand, WAHMies, goodmama, fuzzibunz, haute pocket, blueberry, and a few others.

What brand do you use currently? or What brand was your best brand?:  DD is now potty trained, but my fav was the ones I made.  They fit her best, and was custom to her build.

Why did you chose that brand?:  because of the fit, and absorbancy, and of course since I made them, they were cheaper!

Did you cloth wipe?:  no

How did you wash your diapers?:  cold rinse, then wash with 1/2 detergant, and 1/4 cup baking soda, then rinse with 1/8-1/4 cup vinegar, and rinse again only when needed, then hang dry, and fluff in dryer

Did you presoak your diapers?:  No

What soap did you use to wash your diapers?:  I used free and clear detergants, no bleach, or lil outlaws detergant.

How did you dry your diapers?:  hang dry when possible, and fluff in dryer, or if too damp I would then just dryer dry on reg heat.

What exactly, besides the diapers, did you buy for the process of cloth diapering?:  a diaper pail....thats it.

Did you figure in the cost of disposables compared to cloth in your area? (water, electricity, and soap per wash):  Cloth is actually cheaper, even factoring in washing/drying.  Plus, no driving late nights to the store because you ran out of dipes, either!

Could you tell me how much you saved or spent more in one year on your cloth diapering compared to disposable?  I spent about $15-20 a week on disposables.  I spent about $100 on cloth and notions on getting a good stash made for dd. 

[Meandmyadalee]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 11:15 AM

Apr. 21, 2009 at 7:02 AM

I am one of those who would love to try but I have a problem...so here is my question...

How would you do it if you lived in an apartment complex and didn't have a washer in your apartment? (Washing everyday at the laundry mat is not an option.Once a week is when we wash.)

A lot of moms only wash every few days. You would just have to find what works best for you. I wouldn't let that discourage you if you wanted to give it a try.

[KandiceN]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 11:45 AM

• How long have you been cloth diapering?: About 2 months
  
• What was your reason for cloth diapering?  Saving money, helping with diaper rash, better for the planet
  
• What brands have you tried?: BumGenius 3.0 OS
  
• What brand do you use currently? or What brand was your best brand?: BG 3.0 OS
  
• Why did you chose that brand?: They're just as easy as a disposable, only brand I wanted to use.  Plus I've seen it first hand so I knew I liked it before we bought.
  
• Did you cloth wipe?: Yes
  
• How did you wash your diapers?: Cold cycle, then hot with a tiny amount of soap
  
• Did you presoak your diapers?: No
  
• What soap did you use to wash your diapers?:  Tide HE
  
• How did you dry your diapers?: Dryer, still cold here, once summer comes I'll probably hang them to dry outside.
  
• What exactly, besides the diapers, did you buy for the process of cloth diapering?: Diapers, wipes, diaper sprayer.  That's it.
  
• Did you figure in the cost of disposables compared to cloth in your area? (water, electricity, and soap per wash): Yes, one load is about $.75-$1.00 to wash and dry.
  
• Could you tell me how much you saved or spent more in one year on your cloth diapering compared to disposable? We figured grand total we're saving about $1500 with as many disposables as my son goes through (he's a super pooper lol)
  

[Lindalu2]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 12:20 PM

When I had babies,they only had cloth diapers. They came in a package of about a dozen. You folded them in a triangle or a rectangle and fastened them with two colorful large safety pins.  ;-)  Then you washed a load at a time...with bleach and rinse twice. We lied in an apartment. LAter,in the USAF in Germny , in base housing we had an assigned laundry time-two hours twice a week,in the basement. LOL.Washing diapers can be done. Not easy but doable.I finally bought Pampers when my son was a baby in 1971, because the cloth diapers irritated his skin and the Pediatrician told me to buy Pampers. His rash cleared up in a few days. But I don't see that cloth diapers are such a big,new deal. That's all we had in the 1960's. The savinga are a plus. You just invest in the cloth diapers once but with disposable diapers, you are constantly buying them.

[babygirl96]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 12:40 PM

How long have you been cloth diapering?: 2.5 years

What was your reason for cloth diapering? (voluntary question):  Saving money, saving the planet, never running out, less chemicals on baby's skin

What brands have you tried?:  I didn't use name brand dipes but I used Bummis super whisper wraps

What brand do you use currently? or What brand was your best brand?:  Bummis Super whisper wraps (my fave site is www.clothdiaper.com  they have INSANE Deals)

Why did you chose that brand?: Afforbable, durrable and fit my baby well

Did you cloth wipe?: yes!

How did you wash your diapers?:  Cold rinse, hot wash with half soap, another hot wash with half soap, cold wash with no soap and an extra cold rinse, just to be sure...LOL!

Did you presoak your diapers?: no

What soap did you use to wash your diapers?:  Arm and Hammer, but now I make my own

How did you dry your diapers?: On the line and some fluffing in the dryer, but during the winter, only the dryer

What exactly, besides the diapers, did you buy for the process of cloth diapering?: Wipes,a few doublers, a pail and wraps

Did you figure in the cost of disposables compared to cloth in your area? (water, electricity, and soap per wash):  We have a well, my detergent costs less than 2 cents per load and electricity is way cheaper than Huggies...LOL

Could you tell me how much you saved or spent more in one year on your cloth diapering compared to disposable?  I spent about 400 dollars on diapers, wipes and wraps and had WAY more than I needed since I washed twice a week, but Huggies for 3 years would have cost me about 1848.00 OUCH! Also, when my baby was done with them...I sold them and got about half of my money back...you can't do THAT with dispoosables...LOL! The only reason that my older two were NOT cloth diapered was that we had no laundry facilites then and the local laundromats did not allow diapers to be washed there...sigh*

[PhilsBabyMama]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 1:04 PM

• How long have you been cloth diapering?:

I've been cloth diapering for more than a year now.

• What was your reason for cloth diapering? (voluntary question):

It's better for my baby, better for the environment and better for my wallet. 

• What brands have you tried?:

Fuzzi Bunz pocket diapers and Goodmama and Piddle Poddles fitted diapers.

• What brand do you use currently? or What brand was your best brand?:

We use the Fuzzi Bunz for going out since they are trimmer (don't need a cover either) and you can stuff extra inserts in to increase absorbancy overnight.  During the day at home we use Goodmamas and Piddle Poddles since they breath a lot better.

• Why did you chose that brand?:

I talked to other moms and researched my choices before buying the diapers I did.

• Did you cloth wipe?:

Yes we use cloth wipes.  The average parent spends $800 on wipes from birth to potty training!  No thanks!

• How did you wash your diapers?:

I do a cold wash cycle.  Then a hot wash cold rinse.

• Did you presoak your diapers?:

I did before Maddox started solids.  Now I don't really need to. 

• What soap did you use to wash your diapers?:

We use Soapnuts.  They are actually soap berries that grow on trees!  They're really cool, work very well and I'm so glad I found them!

• How did you dry your diapers?:

I throw the fitted diapers and inserts into the dryer.  I just hang up the pocket diapers since they dry so fast.  They can go in the dryer if I'm really in a hurry though.

• What exactly, besides the diapers, did you buy for the process of cloth diapering?:

I bought wetbags.  One that is large and hangs from a doorknob.  It has a zippered top to keep smells in.  I put dirty diapers in there, then just wash the bag with the diapers when I'm ready to do a load.  I also bought a mini zippered wetbag to keep in my diaper bag.

• Did you figure in the cost of disposables compared to cloth in your area? (water, electricity, and soap per wash):

I don't remember what it is now, but we'd still save more than a thousand dollars, and that's only considering the one baby we have.  We'll be able to use these diapers on our future babies as well.

[MamaCeleste0722]

Apr. 21, 2009 at 1:18 PM

PM'ed you :)