Has anyone used cloth diapers?

[Jas12]

Hey Mommies

Did a quick search on this topic but didn''t find anything on PS.

Wondering if anyone has used cloth diapers and ....
1) do they recommend it?
2) what company did they buy the diapers from?
3) did you get them laundered from a service or on your own?

Thanks!

I would really like to stay away from disposables (b/c of cost, environmental issues and to limit my baby''s exposure to unatural/toxic materials) but i also understand they do have some pitfalls as well--and will probably ultimately use both at different occassions (don''t want to store soiled icky diapers in the car during a road trip or something!)

My mom used cloth (she made them herself and hand washed them!) this in addition to making all her own baby food/clothing and deliving me at home....i don''t know how she did it all, but that gives me some motivation to make it work.

 

[Erin]

I''d be interested in how much of a cost savings it really is - comparative to the sheer time involved.

 

[lyra]

I''m old, my kids are grown, but I used them briefly in the late 80''s. My only concern with them at the time was that they just didn''t keep the baby dry enough, and diaper rash happened more frequently.

 

[Jas12]

Starset--according to the research i did on the subject this week (and it really depends on the cost of the diapers you choose, whether or not you go with a cleaning service etc. ect.) savings are supposed to be around 1k per kid and of course they are reusable for subsequent children so that number could potentially double etc. assuming u purchase them with kid #1

Cost is not my main motivation for considering them--just an added incentive to put in the extra effort they require


Lyra--i was concerned about the rash factor too--however, the cottons and hemps used in diapers today & something about the layering process used in them are ''apparently'' reporting lower rash rates than disposables and fewer allergy developments

haha, i love how i am trying to convince myself more and more with each post

 

[Skippy123]

Jas, I think I read on the Preggo thread a link that Diver posted of enviro friendly diapers. I also remember reading some article that the diaper services use chemicals which are also bad for the environment but this article was a while back ago so maybe the diaper services are using more eviro friendly detergents???

ETA: here is a place that gives the pros to them and where you can locate a diaper service co http://www.diapernet.org/locate.htm

 

[somethingshiny]

I don''t use cloth myself. however, while I was growing up, my mom used cloth on my sisters during the really poor years. They are a HUGE pain in the butt! My littlest sister constantly had diaper rash (I think from having the plastic pants over the wet diaper) and no one wanted to hold the babies when they were soggy. It seemed that you could never change them often enough. We also had some issues with the pins.

I know a lady who used a service for cleaning the diapers, but she said when all was said and done, she really didn''t save money.

My son has very sensitive skin and we use disposables. Everyday I slather on the vaseline right after his bath. He''s 18 months old and never had a diaper rash.

Good Luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Jas12]

Thanks Skippy!

yes detergent is a concern--the one diaper service we have in town uses extremely hot water and almost no detergent to launder their diapers, which is better --i guess if you did them at home i could control this factor
geez, so many things to think about

 

[Jas12]

Somethingshiny: The consensus with generations past is that they were definetly a pain in the butt--in more ways that one (baby and parents)

but that is why i am curious with modern use of the new diapers they have on the market today--which are *apparently* VASTLY improved....hmmm, i guess i''ll just keep searching for someone.

Here''s an example of what i mean:

Modern Cloth Diaper

Has anyone used something like this ??

 

[poptart]

Hey there,

I don''t have any children, but was curious as to the options available in eco-friendly diapers because of your concern. Here are a couple of things that might be worth checking out:

Perhaps you may be able to use organic diapers, but I am not sure how cost effective they are

Debate on diapers
This article is a little old, but may still be relevant.

Eco-friendly diapers

*M*

 

[somethingshiny]

I''ve never seen anything like that! They look a whole lot better!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Hi,

I didn''t use cloth diapers for either of my sons. From all that I read you don''t save any money and washing the cloth diapers does have some environmental issues as well (water & electricity). Once a child is a bit older (over a year) I could see that using cloth could be advantageous as there won''t be as many diaper changes. But early on, with both my kids, I was changing diapers hourly and imagine how much laundry that would have added to my day!? Disposable diapers have their downfalls too. Pampers have a horrible scent to them and from what I gather, either Pampers or Huggies work better depending upon how your child is built, so you could be stuck with the Pamper''s smell. Luckily, my sons both fit into Huggies.

There was an odd article in the paper the other day about parents abandoning diapers all together. The photo included showed a woman *out in public* seating her kid on a training toilet. The child just goes around without any protection down there and plops down on the seat immediatly when it he/she needs too. lol!

 

[Jas12]

hmmm, i never considered biogradable disposables before--i think b/c i live in a small city and they are not available. But according to that one article, they have downsides as well

seems like every option has pros and cons--but i think cloth has the edge in health and enviro (all things considered) if parents are willing to do a bit more work (not sure I am!!). Iam going to keep researching and see what else i can come up with

thanks everyone

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Have your heard of gdiapers? They are flushable liners. Seems like a cool concept.

 

[mrssalvo]

I think I''d rather give up bottled water which is having a huge impact on our envirnment right now b/f I''d do cloth diapers. but that''s also b/c i''ve got 4 kids already with #5 on the way and just cannot add anything that doesn''t simplify my life and laundry load. if you end up doing it though, i''d be very interested to see how it works and what you find to be easier and more difficult.

 

[lumpkin]

http://www.nopins4baby.com/store/catalog.php?item=21&catid=5&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D5

These are fitted cloth diapers that have plastic snaps. You put a diaper cover over them -- the same brand has a snap close cover. You can use an extra pad in them if your baby pees more than average, and you can also get fleece liners to put in them -- they wick the pee away from baby and the poop slides right off them. I used them and liked them. I also really liked the heavy prefold diaper with the velcro wraps, and for night you can use a wool cover (sounds like it would scratch, but they are very soft). The wool covers take special care, though. It is decidedly more work. It depends on how strongly you feel and whether or not you have other kids to take care of. I did cloth with my older one, but not my second. I still feel like I helped out the environment, though.

 

[Jas12]

MrsS--with 5 kids i would be doing whatever is easiest and most convenient, full stop I commend you for finding time to breathe--let alone do laundry! I worked in a daycare for 4 years during university and always wondered how women with a couple kids in diapers (or a few kids in general) mangaged to do it day in and day out--at least i got weekends and evenings as a break from the constant changing!

Lumpkin--yay! someone who has used them! Thanks for the link.

I think i have decided that i will try them out--but not be naive in thinking that i will never use a disposable (esp for thoses times when convenience wins out over cloth) and since this is my first child on the way and i have a year maternity leave i have that innocent optomism to drive me . I spent some more time this aft researching and it has reinforced my choice--i am already a huge recycler/resuser/bit of a granola head so i think it fits my lifestyle. I''ll let everyone know how it goes a few months down the road

 

[diamondfan]

My issue with cloth is that if you use a service, there is gas and such involved, plus water and energy to do the laudry. It is really six of one half dozen of the other in mho. Also, the dryness/rash factor, some kids are much more prone to rashes and that is discomfort for your child. On the flip side, when potty training, the cloth allows a child to feel and dislike the wetness, versus disposables that wick away the wetness and kids ignore it.

Also, when I called the diaper service and they explained what you do with the poopie ones before they come to get them...NO WAY. Not too sanitary and really gross especially if your child has a stomach bug!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

DF, that is why gdiapers are the most environmental. The liners flush and dissolve.

Jas, njc is planning on using cloth. You can ask her about that in detail if you are curious.

 

[diamondfan]

But doesn''t the diaper itself sometimes get messy? (I do not know what those are, I assume they are liners of some sort for the inside of the diaper).

 

[oshinbreez]

Both of my kids are grown, but I used cloth diapers. Every time I would put disposables on them, they''d break out.

I laundered them myself. And when it was time to potty train them, it was easy. My daughter was potty trained at 15 mos, and my son at 18 mos. It was a pain having to wash diapers all the time, but to me, it was worth it.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

DF I have never used them so I don''t know. This is what it says on their website:

"gDiapers. It''s a system that really works.
The gDiapers system is designed to keep your baby dry and comfortable and the Earth a little happier. The flushable really is flushable, just ask the National Sanitation Foundation.

The flushable fits into the snap-in liner of the colorful ''little g'' pants. The liners are made of water resistant, breathable material to keep wetness away. So your baby is never sitting in plastic that can irritate the skin and let''s face it; it''s icky.

Each pair of ‘little gs’ comes with a spare snap-in liner because no matter how hard we try, chances are the liner will get dirty when your baby poops. Two liners means you can re-use your ‘little gs’ all day and only swap out the liners when needed. Liners can be hand washed and dried for a quick re-use or tossed in the machine. Always try to line dry our snap in liners. Not only is it gentler on the planet, but they will last longer too.

Your ‘little gs’ should not get dirty very often. We recommend washing them the same as any other clothing item, and they too can simply get tossed in with your cold or warm laundry and tumble dried. Please close the velcro tabs before washing. Note: if you need to wash you ‘little gs’ due to leaks, please read our tips section as it will most likely be due to a poor fit.

The flushable is bigger than the snap in-liner, and needs to be inserted to create the “u’ shape needed to hold in all the mess. Make sure not to fold any of the flushable when you insert it…just start at one end and press it down as you work your way towards the back."

Flushable refills contain tree farmed fluff pulp and Super absorber. These lock away cells hold up to 100 times their weight in liquid so your baby stays dry. The outer material of the flushable is all natural fibre and is 100% compostable. The stay dry feel keeps wetness away and ensures your baby is comfortable and happy both day and night."

More info can be found here.

 

[njc]

We are going to use cloth diapers! I've been pretty quiet about it to everyone because everyone reacts so negatively.

My mom thinks I am having delusional FTM thoughts, which does nothing but motivate me to make it work! The best came when my mother couldnt help but announce my plan at my baby shower... you've never seen 25 women shut up faster, jaws dropped just looking at me like I had 3 heads.

But you are right, what is out there now is nothing like what our mothers had to use and there are so many pluses!

BabyCenter has a FANTASTIC board called "Diapering Your Baby" that has been taken over by cloth mommas. They are awesome and so helpful. The first couple threads pinned at the top are a great starting point for everything from where to shop, what to buy and how to wash. Reading everything on this board is what made me decide I could do CDs! They even have a swap every Thursday which is where I have bought my newborn stash. You can find moms selling diapers they never used or only used once or twice that can save you even more money.

We are going to wash them ourselves, which is probably the one thing that scares me most. There are tons of threads on the BC site and websites with suggestions on how to wash. The basics is a warm/hot rinse, wash with hardly any soap (like a teaspoon) and then another rinse. Soap building up can cause the dipes to stop absorbing and smell.

This site has a cost calculator: http://diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp While you do have to do more laundry, the cost for water/energy is minimal and there is probably less environmental impact because you hardly use soap vs a regular load of clothes. We have an HE W&D too.

My best advice is just jump head first into researching and asking questions... lots of the sites that sell diapers are just stay at home moms who are more than happy to talk with you over the phone or email. Some even hold monthly meetings to introduce people to CDs. If you are in the DC area, Abby's Lane is out in Loudon County and holds a monthly meeting.

I am still new to all of it, but more than happy to share my limited knowledge. After researching for months of what was the best CD for newborns, I decided to go with a combination of Kissaluv's size 0 fitteds and prefolds that both need covers. I got the 3 most recommended brands of covers, newborn Proraps (has an umbilical dip), Bummi's Super Whisper Wrap, and Thirsties. I also have some pocket diapers and all-in-ones (I refer to these as washable disposables, because thats exactly what they are!) to give a go as the baby gets older as I *think* they are what will work best for us.

Sorry I went crazy on you, but as I get closer and closer to my due date, the more excited I get about finally getting to try CDing!!!

ETA: I just went back and read the thread a little more...

I think it was DF that was talking about having to use a wet pail, although she didnt say that, I assume that is what she meant by what the DS wanted you to do with the poopie dipes and it not sounding safe. Anyways, they are a thing of the past. The rinse before the wash is meant to take care of the runny poos, while you just knock off solid poos into the toilet. You can also buy flushable liners or buy/make some out of fleece to help with the poops. I've made some of my own... I felt silly thinking about buying them when I was going to this extreme with the dipes.

Also, you can use cloth wipes. Again, its something you can either buy or make. You can even use them in a wipe warmer if you wish.

As for diaper rashes... thats one of the benefits to CDs... virtually no diaper rash and you dont have to use cream (it messes with the cloth absorbing)! The fabrics they use now are all breathable... no rubber pants unless you really want them. Sensative skinned babies probably benefit the most, esp if you use an all natural soap, so no chemicals.

Someone mentioned the babies always being soggy. Due to the joys of science, disposables do allow your baby to go longer between changes without being soggy, but all that means is your baby is sitting in pee longer than it should which can lead to rashes. Honestly, I hate holding a baby with a wet sposie on too.

Oh, no more pins either... they have a fabulous invention called a Snappi that holds prefolds together. You can even skip the Snappi and just use a cover, although this is recommended during the newborn runny poop phase!

Okay... I think I am done...

 

[njc]

Okay... I lied... this site has really cool videos showing all sorts of different dipes at work!

http://www.healthydiapers.com/video.html

 

[njc]

Arg... I cant edit it now, but I meant to say that not using a snappi with a prefold is NOT recommended with a newborn. You want that dipe as tight as possible to contain all the mess.

 

[eks6426]

jas--I never used cloth diapers on my now 10 year old son, but I have several friends who currently have babies or toddlers who use the modern cloth diapers like you listed. One friend, switched to them after having tons of trouble with her son getting diaper rash. The cloth diapers cleared it up right away. One reason she said cloth seems to help diaper rash over the disposible is that the disposibles have those water asorbing crystals so basically your baby pees and then the diaper holds it in and it sits against his skin. A lot of parents don''t change the diapers right away and let it "fill up" first. With the cloth diapers they don''t fill up like the disposibles so you have to change more frequently. The cloth diapers actually breathe better too.

None of my friends have a laundry service for them...they do the old fashioned bucket thing and then launder at home.

 

[Jas12]

Thanks for all the info and opinions everyone!

After MORE research i found out that a lot of the confusion about cloth diapering is due in large part to the efforts made by the huge, major profit-making disposable diaper companies and their deliberate attempts to misinform about diapering options (and to great success) so although cloth does have some downsides, the "but laundering takes up so much energy" argument, the "cloth causes rashes" argument and the "cloth is unsanitary" argument is just not that true.
The biggest downside I can see now is just convenience. So I think each mom needs to make thier own choice for thier own reason and not be judged.

NJC--i can totally relate to the jaw-dropping. When I bring it up I feel like a lot of moms kinda look at me like "oh that''s cute, you''re naive and enthusiastic, but soon you''ll see how silly you are" --makes me more determined, like you.
Thanks for the info--i will check out that board for sure!

Island Dreams--My mom claims that same thing--she said i broke out into a nasty terrible rash the few times i used disposables (however this was 28 yrs ago and i am sure they are less toxic now--i hope) and when i worked in the infant centre of a day care I changed disposable diapers 9 hrs a day!!! Almost every child had a rash despite my best efforts to change very regularily---so mabye they are just a part of baby life and hard to prevent in general.

 

[njc]

Another thing that I think leads to the confusion is that you can only find the cheap/thin prefolds and old rubber pants in stores. So those who do venture into CDing are quickly brought back into the sposie fold because they are pretty much set up to fail. My mother has told me about searching high and low in stores for CDs and just today I told her you pretty much have to buy it all online.

Honestly, I dont really see the convenience arguement anymore. You can get all-in-ones that require no stuffing or fussing with covers, so they are basically a fabric sposie. I dont even see washing as a problem now... I am going to be doing so much more anyways, whats an extra load every 2 days? Its not like I have to sit there and watch them wash. I never have to have run to the store in the middle of the night because we ran out!

I completely agree though... everyone needs to make their own choices based on their needs and not be judged.

 

[divergrrl]

I almost CD with Jake...I really got into the whole Fuzzibunz thing..with the kushees liners..and I think Bummikins. DH nixed it, he said no way jose to cloth...and since he was changing half the dipes I wasn''t up for a fight.

One thing I''ve noticed is that CDing can get addictive! The Fuzzibunz style covers/wraps are so dang cute, its like a fashion statement. I know a few moms who''ve done it & they love it.

I say go for it. G-dipes are another option, but expensive. Huggies from Costco run me about .18 cents a diaper whereas G-dipes are closer to .45 cents.

I don''t buy bottled water, I walk wherever I can, and I use cloth grocery bags, to atone for my disposable diaper usage.

 

[pinkelephant]

Hi there,
I have not used cloth diapers, but my sister uses them with her nephew. It actually started because she could not stand the smell of disposables... Anyway, she says that she finds the new cloth diapers keep my nephew dry and he has not had diaper rash since using cloth. She launders them herself and, for those that are really keen, she even makes them herself.

 

[lumpkin]

Date: 9/14/2007 8:39:42 PM
Author: janey
Hi there,
I have not used cloth diapers, but my sister uses them with her nephew. It actually started because she could not stand the smell of disposables... Anyway, she says that she finds the new cloth diapers keep my nephew dry and he has not had diaper rash since using cloth. She launders them herself and, for those that are really keen, she even makes them herself.

I did that, too. There''s a fitted diaper pattern I bought on-line. I got flannel at Walmart and used heavy terry cloth inside and used ordinary skinny elastic.. I even sold some to friends. Hey, it payed for my surger! But it was very, very time consuming, and unless you just love to sew, the fitteds on line are nice.