# Cloth Diapers...Honesty



## Grace24 (Mar 9, 2007)

Ok, every time I tell someone I'm going to cloth diaper they look at me like I have five heads and tell me I'll change my mind. Since I'm expecting my first and have no experience with cd OR sposies, I don't know if they could be right. I don't want to spend hundreds on cloth diapers I won't end up using if they're not convenient, but I just don't think I can bring myself to pollute with sposies.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's cd'd before, did it work for you, do you recommend it, did you clean them yourselves or use a service? Be honest!

Also, we will most likely not be using daycares, so I'm not worried about needing sposies for that. Most of our childcare will be sitters in our home so that makes it easier to CD. And we don't plan to travel too much.


----------



## paniscus (Oct 5, 2003)

We had the same thing: "Oh sure, cloth diapers!!", "You'll see", "I can't wait to see if you are still using them 3 weeks after the baby is born", etc. Or my personal favorite - the blank stare and maybe a slight head nod.

Well, ds is now almost 23 mos and we are still using cloth and we love them. We have traveled with them (long weekends) and it hasn't been a problem. It is so easy to just walk over to the washer and throw them in, in my opinion. The alternative is getting dressed, getting baby dressed, getting to the store, buying dipes, etc.

I can't say for sure how you will like them but we never once wished we used disposables. In fact, my bil and sil just had a baby (2 mos) and use cloth. The used sposies for the first week or so and said it was so much nicer to use the cloth.

I think the people that are saying those things are ones that haven't used cloth. At least, that was the case in my situation.

good luck and congratulations.


----------



## Miny20 (Jun 24, 2004)

I absolutely LOVED my cloth diapers. Many people immediately think about flat diapers with pins when you say you're going to cloth diaper. I personally liked my prefolds and snappis (pins aren't the only way any more!), but imagine that they might have been a little daunting in those first few days of getting to know my baby, my new role, and breast feeding. Of course, it's not impossible and without the experience of learning to do sposies (which can be hard with a skinny, wiggly newborn, too), it may not be that challenging.

My own experience? I used sposies for the first 7 months. I had 5 left when we switched to cloth. In the following weeks I used those last sposies when I was trying to learn how to use my washing routine efficiently. Once you feel/smell a baby is fresh, super soft cotton... you'll never ever want to go back to the institutional, strong scent of sposies!

As for the laundry--which is what intimidates many people--it's just not that bad! It's 2-3 extra loads a week, and really with a new baby, you're doing that much extra laundry anyway!

I have been stalking my favorite diaper site (tykiediapers.com) and found that her cheaper by the dozen at 20% off and I'm SO EXCITED to order my diapers! To be honest I think I'm more excited about ordering my diapers than anything else!


----------



## Jenns_3_babies (May 26, 2006)

There's so many different types of CD's out there now, just depends upon how much you're willing to spend and what works for you. To be honest, I didn't have my 2nd DC wear CD's until he was 15 or 16 months old, so I've only been using them for 4/5 months. But I LOVE them. It's so nice not worrying about running out of diapers and having to stop at the store all the time. They are so much cheaper than sposies, after you get your stash started. BUt, I bought mine over time. I use prefolds, all in ones (cover and diaper in one), one size fits all, snappis (love, love, love), pull up covers, prowrap covers (velcro/snaps on sides). Plus, you can make your own stash.

I wash my own, right now about 1-2 times a week (I have that many diapers), but once the new baby comes, I'll prolly be doing it every 2-3 days. I use Dreft which cleans them very well and takes out the smell.

I never used CD's with my 1st Dc. I wish I would've as it saves you a ton of money. I prolly spent between $300-$400 for my stash, but it's enough to use for both my 20 month old and the newborn for the rest of their diaper wearing days. I figured out that I originally spent for my 3 1/2 yo and 20 month old when they were both in diapers at the same time a little over $100 a month for sposies. So the money I spent upfront for CD's already paid for itself.

Now, I still use sposies for nightime. He pees a lot at night, and it's easier for me to deal with if I have to change him and I"m not fully awake. Once the new baby comes, I plan on switching him to CD at nighttime as I'll be up a lot, so that won't be a problem.

But, I get those crazy looks when I tell people I use CD's, including from my MIL. It saves you a ton of money, they're easy to use and to wash. Plus, they're so dang cute!! Gives them extra padding on their bums when they fall too.


----------



## Therese's Mommy (Jan 15, 2005)

Since DD was born 2.5 years ago we have bought 1 package of sposies. I used them in the beginning when I went out of the house and wasn't confident yet. We use the most basic (prefolds with pins) and we love them. Cleaning them is easy and we have never had a problem with any diaper rash, smelly diapers, or smelly pails. I think that it is probably easiest if you start using them from the beginning. If cd is all you know then it will seem totally natural. I would never use sposies, we love our cloth!!!

We got the same look from people, even people who consider themselves enviromentalists. I think that many people have only had experience with those terrible Gerber prefolds that you can buy in the stores. Those things have no absorbency (they aren't even good for cleaning rags) and would cause lots of problems with leaks. Also, I think that people imagine the old smelly wet pail that you would have to lug to the laundry room and hope and pray the the toddler doesn't tip over!







We use dry pail (and I think most do) and it doesn't get heavy and even if it did get tipped there wouldn't be a mess.

Don't let anyone discourage you...cloth is great and easy!

Beth


----------



## thismama (Mar 3, 2004)

I think a lot of people think of the old, crappy CD's and that is the reason for the looks of horror. Today's good quality cloth diapers (read up here on which brands are good!) are fabulous. Most people were shocked in a good way when they saw my daughter's dipes.


----------



## SkylarVT (Jun 10, 2006)

Our 23 month old DD has been cloth diapered from birth, and we will definitely CD the next baby too. Everyone we knew told us we would switch to sposies after a month or two also, but I couldn't even imagine putting DD in sposies after seeing how soft the cloth was on her skin. We had to use sposies, (the unbleached seventh generation kind), for a week once when we were having issues with our electricity and poor DD got a terrible diaper rash. She never has diaper rash in her cloth.


----------



## twilight girl (Mar 7, 2002)

Congratulations to you for thinking of the big picture in your diapering choice!!!

I used cloth almost exclusively on DD. There were rare times that we used sposies, like air travel to visit other family. It was not a hassle AT ALL, and we grew to love it. There's nothing like fluffy prefolds coming out of the dryer









Plus, my skinny DD need the bulk just to keep her pants on ... seriously. Many of her age/weight appropriate clothing would not stay on her if she was in a sposie, but the cloth helped a lot there!!

We had no diaper rash problems, the laundry was not inconvenient, and there is just something enjoyable and satisfying about cloth diapering. Have you every heard a sposie user say that diapering their baby is enjoyable? Satisfying?

I plan to CD baby #2 as well, so I guess let that be my endorsement!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Grace24* 
Ok, every time I tell someone I'm going to cloth diaper they look at me like I have five heads and tell me I'll change my mind. Since I'm expecting my first and have no experience with cd OR sposies, I don't know if they could be right. I don't want to spend hundreds on cloth diapers I won't end up using if they're not convenient, but I just don't think I can bring myself to pollute with sposies.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's cd'd before, did it work for you, do you recommend it, did you clean them yourselves or use a service? Be honest!

Also, we will most likely not be using daycares, so I'm not worried about needing sposies for that. Most of our childcare will be sitters in our home so that makes it easier to CD. And we don't plan to travel too much.


----------



## Grace24 (Mar 9, 2007)

OMG I'm overjoyed to hear this and DH and I are so grateful for everyone's responses! Where can I learn more about cloth diapers and how to do it?

Thanks for all the responses, keep 'em coming!


----------



## AllieFaye (Mar 7, 2007)

I received the same looks and comments. Little did they know that I was really planning EC, with a cloth diaper back-up system. I only told people that we EC after we were in full swing of it. Or, if they came to visit, I nonchalantly took him to the potty, and watched their stunned faces.

The diapering forums here are the best place online to learn. If you have a cloth diapering store in your area, then use them, at least for the information.


----------



## mami_guera (May 4, 2006)

I just posted about this problem. People were asking what I needed for this baby and I said cloth diapers. I personaly want happy heinys but I would would be happy with others. The cd are just as easy as sposies these days. I was a little scared at first too but I am very happy with my choice!







You will be too. You can buy used one and see which ones u like best!


----------



## cloe (Jul 22, 2004)

Have you checked out the cloth diaper section in this website? You will find yourself in cloth diaper mania for months. There is all the help and info you will need to be sucessfull.


----------



## avendesora (Sep 23, 2004)

I have two in cloth diapers. I have four days worth of diapers, but I do laundry every other day - so they don't get too stinky before being cleaned, and I then have time to line-dry them before I need them. I love using cloth. I use Fuzzi Bunz, which are expensive, but way more dad- and babysitter-friendly than some. I never got prefolds to sit right in bummis - but maybe I'm just doing it wrong.

We do use sposies at night. We found that our kids were getting rashy from being wet all night long, and we just couldn't stand the thought of waking them up at night for a midnight diaper change. So yes, there is some pollution involved. I just try to remind myself that we're doing 'way better' than the average american family as far as our footprint is concerned. I totally know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but I'm comfortable with that









Aven


----------



## momuveight2B (Mar 17, 2006)

I heard the same thing 27 years ago. Here I am on baby #8 still CD and I have used them on several foster children as well over the years.

I have been a SAHM for most of those 27 years and I credit CD, breastfeeding and garage sales/swaps for allowing me to do so. The most important thing to me is time with my children and a little extra laundry to allow me to do so is just fine. I am also totally into sewing my own stash these days. My biggest disappointment over the years is that the dipes are so darn durable they last through several children and I can't justify buying fancy new ones!









Don't be afraid to try what you feel is right for you. Those disposables will still be there if you change your mind.

I also hate running to the store and sometimes over the years it would have been the difference between groceries for the whole week for our family or having to buy sposies/formula. For me it is security to know I won't run out of things and have to make other sacrifices.


----------



## Blucactus (Nov 20, 2006)

Cloth diapers!









We switched when DS was about a year old, which is when we got a washer/dryer.







guess it's a testimony that we like them since we'll be using them from the start with the new baby. We use mostly Fuzzi Bunz with DS, I got them quite cheap off the TP here. (Still use sposies at night, he sleeps in our bed and I'm just soooo not interested in sleeping in pee leaks.)

We don't have many so I wash them every couple of days. We have a cleaned-out, lidded cat litter pail in the bathroom where we do dry pail with them. Sprinkle with tea tree oil if they are too smelly, but since we have a catbox in the bathroom too, it actual smells worse than the dipes.

We wash them on hot with a small amount of detergent and some tea tree oil. Dry them in the dryer (not any good places to hang them in the house, plus we don't have enough to wait for them to line dry).

We're planning on using covers/wraps and prefolds for the new baby, and we've got two Bum Genius 1.0s so we can use those for outings.

Honestly, the worst things are a: DH will change the poopy ones but won't shake the poop out, so I have to find them later on the changing table. (icky, I know!







) and also b. for the first tri of pregnancy it is soooo gross to deal with the poopy ones, I gagged my way through that this time.

All in all, I'd say give it a try and if they just don't work for you for whatever reason, they have a decent resale value.


----------



## goodearthmama (Nov 7, 2006)

Okay- First time mom-to-be here! Haven't had the chance to actually cloth diaper yet, but that decision was the easiest we made. We just both had no question about the matter.

I have a story that I think about everytime someone gives me that "look" when I tell them I am cd'ing. As she is changing her toddler's nasty sposie, one of my close gf's says see what you have to look forward to and was referring to the exploded sposie with lovely poop soiled clothes and poo covered child she was changing. I said well, not really we are using cloth diapers and they don't explode.(and I do know there can be leakage, but not like sposie explosions) She goes into her "i will change my mind, I am crazy, think of all the laundry I will be doing" speech and the whole time I am sitting there thinking, uh yeah and your the one who is constantly washing your child's clothes and changing them b/c your dipes exploded. All the while she has several garbage bags of stinky sposies stacked up in her garage waiting for trash day.

My whole thing is changing a poopy diaper is not going to the most fun thing regardless of which dipes you use, but why not protect your child's skin and genitals from harmful chemicals that they put in sposie's (even some of the "natural" ones), do your part to help the environment, and save TONS of $$$. Plus, cd's are so freakin' Cute!!!


----------



## tatermom (Jun 11, 2005)

I had the same look and negative comments the first time around, too. Like I was being incredibly naive thinking I would prefer cloth diapers (got the same comments/look about natural birth, too














. Let me tell you, we've used disposables from time to time (like when we were traveling and going to be staying in a hotel room with no place to wash diapers) and EVERY time I looked at the pile of disposable diapers we used I felt sick to my stomach about how much garbage we created in such a short time. I LOVED cloth diapers-- they were easy, no problem with cleaning (washed every 3 days, used a toilet sprayers to clean off the poopy ones ahead of time) even with using our apartment complex's pay laundry machines. I can imagine I'd love it even more if we had our own washer/drier!







I'd suggest that if you ever start to doubt yourself, stop and think how much money you'd spend and how much garbage you'd be creating if you used disposables instead.... I found that even when facing a pile of dirty diapers to wash, I always felt better when I could remember that at least my little baby was not adding to land fills.







DS1 is mostly in undies now, but I'm ready with my pile of diapers for DS2 (also great if you can use them for more than one kid or resell them when you're done-- it's a great investment!).


----------



## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

We love our cloth diapers! DS is 18 months, and we've only used disposables when we were travelling for long periods of time and there wasn't a washer available. Honestly... disposables stink!

We started out with expensive fitted diapers and covers and have since switched to prefolds and covers. We don't even use pins and snappis -- we just fold the diaper in thirds, stick it in the cover and velcro on. They're SO EASY. Even our daycare provider loves them. We have a really simple wash routine and it's fabulous to just toss the dirties through the wash rather than having to always worry about running out of diapers and having to buy more.

I actually kind of feel sorry for people who use disposables. Especially my friends who are living on a budget and always have to worry about whether they have enough diapers to make it to payday.


----------



## jlwagner (May 2, 2006)

I used sposies for the first few months because I believed those people who thought cloth was crazy and too much work. I ended up switching to cloth when ds became very allergic to the sposies and I am soooo sad I didn't use cloth from the very beginning. It is easy (especially since I don't mind laundry), adorable, sooo much better for baby, and in my experience, cloth leaks so much less than sposies. I would say definitely give it a try! Odds are you will be so happy you did!!!

And I definitely recommend the diapering forum here. There is all the info you could ever want and then some.


----------



## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

Just to be the lone voice...









We used CD for several months, and I really really liked them. HOWEVER, I simply did not have the time to maintain a CD routine and we switched to full time sposies when dd was around 10-11 months. She's 2yo now and has never had a diaper rash since moving to sposies (and we "fought" food allergy related eczema for a year so I'm very much in tune with what her skin can and does handle).

DH and I both WOH (opposite shifts so dd isn't in daycare), we don't have a washer/drier at home, and although I enjoyed the wonderful CD options (honestly, my fav were prefolds with funky covers, and I made my own for a while too) it's not something we're even considering for belly bean 2...she'll be in sposies from the start. When I did a serious break down we weren't saving money and we simply didn't have the time...

I guess I just want to chime in and say that although CD is a WONDERFUL option and is a great choice (not to mention a heck of a lot cuter than a sposie), it doesn't always work out and it's okay to change your mind as you go on if you decide it doesn't work well for your family or for your babe. Babe's grow and we simply decided we'd move to sposies/EC when dd outgrew her dipes. We passed the dipes along through the mdc holiday helper thread and I know some babe enjoyed them...but CD just doesn't work with the realities of every family, and that's okay too!


----------



## Eaglevoice (Nov 30, 2004)

I was gifted three months of a diaper service when dd was born. It was awesome. When the three months was over, I started collecting and washing my own diapers. My faves were fuzzi bunz and happy heiny's. When dd was about a year old we moved in with my mom and dad for two months and switched to sposies for that time. In the entire time my dd was in cloth up to one year old, I don't think she ever got a diaper rash. And after just a week or so of sposies I started noticing a few slight diaper rashes. And once she got a mega on, I switched her back to cloth and we've not seen one since.


----------



## I Fly (Jul 8, 2002)

It looks like you are getting lots of positive responses, but I just have to chime in! I got that very same look/reaction from several people before my son was born over 4 years ago. I've been CD'ing for 4.5 years now, and have only purchased one package of disposables for a week-long trip to a cabin with no W/D. I hated that week of diapering!! Ha ha.

I love CD'ing, and think it is really very easy. I've watched several friends switch to CD'ing or decide to do it after watching our family. Only one friend changed her mind after finding it difficult. I never got the full story, but think that part of the problem for her was the location of her W/D. She needs to exit her house and enter the basement from an outside door to do laundry, and has lots of creepy crawly crickets that won't leave down there - making it hard to leave stuff down there or fold there. I think laundry is a real chore for her because of that situation. She is holding on to her stash in case things change in the future. The other thing she did was buy all Pocket diapers with Babykicks Hemparoo inserts. Very $$$ and more laundry as the covers get washed after each change.

So, I am still using my original CPFs from 4.5 years ago. They look great and are absolutely going to make it through child #3. I've gotten a few new covers with #2, and am going to spring for some new cloth wipes (which are the BEST - don't use disposable wipes!) and inserts (for nighttime) for #3. I'll bet I diaper 3 kiddos (and have loaned out the 0-6mo stuff multiple times) for well under $500.

Good luck! All this snickering will just make you that much more resolved to do what is best for our planet and your baby! After you have several months of CD'ing behind you, you'll start making converts!

Oh, and I've always washed my own. I have a front-loader, which makes it economical, and wears the diapers out less. I recently started line-drying the diapers, which I could never do earlier on for lack of energy/time. Now that everyone is walking, I'm finding time for that, too, which will make the diapers last longer. I always hung the covers to dry. I think there are a lot of compelling reasons to wash your own, and it hasn't been too bad for me. I do a load after three nights. That's when I run out of nighttime diapers.

I highly recommend Bac-Out to pre-treat poop stains. This eliminates the smell in my dry pail, and really keeps the staining down!


----------



## rmzbm (Jul 8, 2005)

I CD. Just as simple as sposies, IMO...just far less gross. I just toss 'em in with my regular wash. No problems...I HIGHLY recommend cloth!


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

We used sposies with the first DS (after we blindly trusted friends who said they looked into diaper service and that it was just as expensive as sposies - but I'd never use a service now!!), and the thought of them now makes me ill! (And I was just at a baby shower...)

We made the move with our second DS and it's AWESOME!! The only time he ever had a sposie on his bum was when the ladies in the church nursery didn't page me to come when I had the diaper bag and he was dirty.







: I tore it off him so fast and got him back in cloth!







But I'm a little obsessive like that.









Even my DH loves cloth. He raved about it to other daddies and showed off the adorable dipes we got! He insisted from the beginning that he would not "make diapers," i.e., fold and pin or whatever. And it was very important to me to have TRIM diapers - I didn't want to live out the pic of my DH I saw - in a wading pool with a prefold down to his knees!!









So we went with AIOs and pockets for the most part, and added quite a variety later. Our dipes were EASY to use, DEPENDABLE (and sposies ARE NOT!!!), CUTE, and FUN!! I loved pulling my dipes out of the dryer and would get so excited that I got to use them again!







I also would match my DS's outfits with his dipes - yeah, some people thought I was a little strange, but it was so much fun!









I can totally see some people who aren't committed to cloth getting tired or overwhelmed or burned out. Yeah, after more than 2 years, I was finally ready for my DS to be potty trained, too! But even that came much more easily than with the sposied older DS!

I think the key is to have a commitment to it (for whatever reason you choose), to get a system that's easy to use, and to have enough dipes that you can wash every couple of days and not more often.

I know in the first year we probably didn't save much money, but by the end of 2 years, we absolutely saved! And we never had to run to the store in the middle of the night for diapers. We didn't have to lug 50lb bags of soiled diapers to the curb (my DH hated this and I hated it when he didn't!). We didn't have to deal with the caustic odor of a diaper pail that's held those same diapers for a week. We got to use a variety of soft, squishy, comfy diapers and even cloth wipes! And boy did we get a lot of curious faces when everyone saw our adorable-bummed little guy!









I hope you love CDing as much as we have!! I'm eager to do it again starting in October!


----------



## Kirsten (Mar 19, 2002)

We used a diaper service for dd1 - almost exclusively (just wore disposables when we left the house). Dd2 - about half and half (because we were on the go a lot more with a four year old in preschool and ballet and playdates, etc. Dd3 - not at all (we're just never home, and I wasn't willing to CD away from the house).

Personally, I liked the ease of the diaper service. I have a hard time keeping up with clothes, sheets, towels laundry for five people - no way I am adding diapers to that. But if you have only one baby, and are good at keeping up with laundry then it could work well for you - as others have attested.

My dd3 recently potty trained and I am one happy woman! Now just to get everyone old enough to be out of car seats/boosters....


----------



## HeatherB (Jan 30, 2003)

Oh, just wanted to add that I am NOT one of those who's great with laundry - umm... yeah. But, diapers were never a problem for me. They're sorted, ready to go! And I love 'em!







I had another friend who started with cloth before I did, and she's a similar type of housekeeper as I am. When she could do it, I had the confidence that I could - and it worked!

So don't think you have to be a perfect housekeeper to keep up with cloth! It can work!


----------



## kirk_heidi (Apr 26, 2006)

I have used both and I will never go back to sposies. I started when my twins were 5 months old. I have a 3 year old in diapers at night and my twins are still in diapers. I am also due with anther one in December and I still don't plan on using sposies so you can definitely do it if you want to.


----------



## zjande (Nov 4, 2002)

I used CDs for all 3, going on 4







, of my kids. I washed them with my 1st, have had a svc. with the rest. I'd wash them myself if I had to, the svc. is just such a fabulously convenient luxury.

CDing is easy, fun, cute & way healthier for your baby & the whole wide world. Plus plastic diapers stink, are full of toxins, & are _plastic_. Who wants to have smelly toxic plastic wrapped around their genitals for 2-4 years?

Good luck with all of your research, & have fun diapering your new baby!


----------



## pianojazzgirl (Apr 6, 2006)

Unfortunately I was one of those people who started with cloth and ended up switching to sposies. I did find it was too much for me to keep up with when dd was a newborn and I was exhausted (and recovering from a c-section, and going through what I now think was ppd). I really wish we had started up with them again when she was a little older (after we had adjusted to life with a babe). We will be trying again with this babe.


----------



## avendesora (Sep 23, 2004)

I wanted to reply to the last post - I had a hard time with cloth the first week or two after the birth - my laundry was in the basement and I couldn't do all those stairs the first couple weeks! I ended up using sposies until the umbilical cord fell off (usually ~2 weeks) and then I switched to cloth. I tried desperately to make cloth work the first few days after the birth, but I had a tiny stash and it required tons of laundry, and I was just exhausted. My aunt brought me some sposies (she knew it was hard for me to 'give up', even temporarily), and it turned out to be quite a blessing.

I know that there are umbilical-cord-accessible diapers, but I had 10 lb babies and they were too big for the newborn dipes!

You'll need to find out for yourself a rhythm with diapers that works for you. It will take some time to get into the swing of things, but it'll happen!

I had lots of family that was very supportive of cloth, and that helped a great deal.

Aven


----------



## Ruthe (May 31, 2005)

I used disposable diapers for four children and they were just diapers, but I have used cloth for two years now on my fifth one and I love it. It can take an extra 30 seconds to change a diaper; so maybe that's inconvenient? I always dumped poop because I didn't want it sitting in my trash can in a sposie. If it was undumpable I had to take the diaper outside, but with cloth I have to use that time wiping it into the toilet with toilet paper; oh well. I have to run two-three extra loads of wash a week. But I don't have to go down the diaper aisle of the store and put a huge sack of sposies in the cart, taking up space; i don't have to hunt for and use coupons to save money on sposies, and I don't have to make an emergency trip to the store if I am suddenly running out. I don't feel inconvenienced at all by cloth diapers.


----------



## frenchie (Mar 21, 2006)

O got the same responses, and I CDd for 3 years. I have a new little one, and we're CDing with her too. I use Fuzzi Bunz, and I wash them myself. I prefer it to disposables for a plethora of reasons...the biggest thing being the environment. I say go for it and ignore the nay sayers.


----------



## shandy (Jul 12, 2004)

LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! No leaking ever, laundry is easy, no problems with any of it at all!!!

Now I WILL admit that when we all had the nasty rotovirus in the fall and DD was spewing really runny foul smelling stuff out of her butt we used 'sposies and I don't regret that for a second







: but except for then, I LOVE my CD's.

The most overwhelming thing for me was deciding which to use. Once I made the decision, I have been THRILLED!!!! Good luck!!


----------



## Vaquitita (Mar 2, 2006)

i got that when i was preg with my first too. we used a service for the first 2-3 months (it was a gift) then i bought my own. i've tried a couple different kinds, but prefer plain old prefolds with pins. ds is 20mo and still in cd, and i plan to cd my new babe (due in august) too. now this was not my first experience with cd, almost 20 years ago i changed my baby sisters cd's. i figured if i could do it at 9yo i could do it as an adult! on a side note, i think cd's make potty training a whole lot easier. 20mo ds is well on his way. in fact he's much closer to being potty trained than a certain 4yo of my acquaintance (who, needless to say, is in sposies).


----------



## melissakc (Nov 13, 2006)

Everyone thought I was crazy too. When I was pregnant with my DD, I didn't know anyone who used CD. I've been using them since she was 8 lbs. and I love them. I think the key is to buy enough so that you won't be overwhelmed with laundry, and make sure that lugging a heavy diaper pail will be feasible in your home. I bought 36 Mother-ease one-size dry diapers, some absorbent liners for night, some cloth wipes, and 4-5 covers, and I was done. It can get confusing if you use different systems for different times of day or different care providers. I have friends who CD now, and they all use different systems and are constantly buying more--they have a CD addiction! My purpose was environmental but also economical, so I'm glad I just bought a whole big stash and that I'm not still shopping 16 months later.

I think it's a lot easier to throw them in the wash than add them to my grocery list every week.

One thing I discovered is that sposies smell SO much worse than CD. I think it must be the chemicals. When I travel I use sposies, and I am always happy to go back to lovely, soft CDs. Good luck!


----------



## twilight girl (Mar 7, 2002)

Just wanted to add that in my experience, cloth diaper households don't smell like dirty diapers or perfume trying to cover it up! (I think because we tend to flush the poop, and sposie users never flush the poop, even though the sposie package says you should!)


----------



## zak (Mar 6, 2005)

Eh, tell those naysayers to buzz off.







Everyone said I'd change my mind too... well here I am 2 years later, still washing the same ole diapers.

We CD'd our son since he was 2-3 weeks old. We also did EC (part time, very relaxed) with him and he's newly 2 and in undies most of the time now.

Anyhow - CD'ing has been very easy. We do it on all our road trips, during moves (big moves, like 1100 mile moves), every outing, everywhere.

It's not a big deal at all. It all depends on your conviction and committment to it. I don't have a hubby who does laundry, but I manage to keep clean diapers and clothes on all of us.









We plan on CD/EC'ing the new baby from the get-go this time.


----------



## Miny20 (Jun 24, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Vaquitita* 
i think cd's make potty training a whole lot easier. 20mo ds is well on his way.

I second this! My daughter woke up at 22 months and said, "No more diapers."

We went out and bought 20 pairs of underwear and never looked back! I really do think that cloth plays a huge role in early potty awareness and desire to not feel wet!


----------



## angelamclamb (Jul 31, 2003)

My 5yr old was cloth diapered, my 2yr old is still cloth diapered and will cloth diaper the next one due in Sept. I wouldn't have it any other way! Sposies have got to be uncomfortable unlike cloth which is why we adults were cotton underwear, KWIM? It saves money and our landfields. Besides, cloth is sooo much cuter than any sposie I have ever seen.


----------



## dannic (Jun 14, 2005)

The thought to cd never even crossed my mind with my first, but when my second was around 5 mos, I did get into cding. For me, it was easier to cd at home and use disp. when we were out. (Of course, that depended on where we were going, how long we'd be gone, ect). I loved it, but when winter came, I couldn't fit any warm clothes on her... even in larger sizes because she was just so chunky! SO I switched back. I am expecting again and plan on trying the OS bum genius with both dd and newborn. Honestly, I love cd and wish I'd known of the resources out there when dd ws a babe. But I was the only one I knew or knew of who was even trying to CD. I really couldv'e used the cd forum, ya know? SO we'll go another round with this one and see if we can make it stick! GL!


----------



## Juvysen (Apr 25, 2007)

Congrats with starting so early! I had planned to CD my DD from birth, but I finally decided I didn't have the energy for PFs and pins. Little did I know the lovely variety of cloth dipes out there! I finally started CDing my dd at about 9 months (so it's been... 7 months now?) and I love it. First of all... I think the dipes that are out there are so much nicer on their bottoms than the disposable diapers can possibly be. I have to highly recommend a diaper with cotton velour on the inside, because personally, I would love my OWN panties to be lined with that... hehehehe. My favorite diapers are the BumGenius 2.0 one-size and the Swaddlebees pockets w/Organic velour. Both are super convenient and easy and also nice for her bottom. Of course the side effect of cding (you know, environmental impact, lower overall costs) are nice, too, but my main reason for starting is that they're so comfy looking and come in such variety that it's REALLY fun to diaper her.

The laundry aspect is one down side, but it's really not a big deal. I just toss them in the washer and put them on a long wash cycle in cold water w/vinegar and baking soda and then put them through a second "normal" hot cycle with baking soda, a little detergent (be careful what kind you get because some can cause problems with your diapers), and vinegar again in the rinse cycle (when you would put in fabric softener). Then just toss them in the dryer. Not bad at all.

I still do use disposables at night (because they hold SOOOO much) and sometimes if we go out for a long time. They're thin so they fit easily in a diaper bag and make a good back up to the cloth that I bring with me.

I'm excited to get the newborn size dipes that I'm buying for my baby due in July.


----------



## bright-midnight (Mar 26, 2007)

i often herad the same types of responses when i told people i was going to CD. now that i've been doing it for 6 months, i can honestly say i hate sposies and refuse to use them.


----------



## eclipse (Mar 13, 2003)

I've done both. I didn't even consider cding with baby #1 because I was only slightly crunchy, and I thought it would be too overwhelming with working full time outside the home and not having my own washer and dryer. I hated how the sposies felt and smelled, and I really hated throwing them out.

By the time DD came along, I knew some MDC moms, and they gave me diapers to start out with and tons of tips. Even though I still didn't have my own washer and dryer and I still workerd fulltime, I decided to go for it. I loved it and even but my oldest into cloth.

I'm now on #3 we are still cding. He uses sposies at night because he won't sleep otherwise, and we're currently using sposies after a move - but once the cloth system gets all set up again, we'll be back in them again.

My best advice is to find what works for you and your baby. It might take some trial and error, but something will work.


----------



## stacey0402 (Aug 16, 2003)

I cloth diapered dd2 for 3 years. I was honestly a little sad when she was out of diapers, how many sposie users can say that? Dd never had rashes, and we never had leaking issues. I used mostly fitted diapers (we love organic cotton fitteds from www.fireflydiapers.com ) with waterproof covers and wool soakers. I washed them myself (no toilet dunking or spraying) and only ever had the very rare stain. I am not supermom, I just love cloth diapers and wouldn't want to do it any other way.


----------



## zak (Mar 6, 2005)

I wanted to add... AFA cost goes, we've only used cheapy/hand me down prefolds and some pre-used covers and a snappi and I nor hubby have any complaints (and we CD 100% of the time, I never buy disposables).


----------



## sunshine's mama (Mar 3, 2007)

i've done both and got the you have 10 heads looks many times when i mention cloth (sooooo excite to have my own washer and dryer soon...no more laundromat) but it turned out to be alot easier than i thought it would be...

i didn't start with dd until she was well into larger mediums but this go round i already have my prefolds ready and smalls/mediums...can't wait to start...even dp defends our using them to his coworkers who think i'm crazy....yay!!!!


----------



## BirthkeepinSister (Jul 26, 2006)

whoops


----------



## BirthkeepinSister (Jul 26, 2006)

Let me tell you, I love cloth diapers more then I do cute baby clothes. When I was pregnant with my 2nd, I would take ds's old covers and diapers out, fold them, unfold them..... Love getting a fresh load out of the dryer!! Sp many kinds so many styles. I cloth diapered bot my kids. It's all I know. Washing is easy. Don't use fabric softner or dryer sheets, they put a coat of wax on fabric, and that gets in the way of the diapers ability to absorb. Rince i cold, then wash in hot, ro prevent stains. Every now and then dipes need striped because buildup of detergent makes then not come as clean. Which is just washing with some vinegar or dawn dish soap (because it cuts grease and somehow also gets build up out of dipes. Everyone now days dry pails. Our Grandma's generation wet pailed and used big, scratchy plastic pants as covers, ugh!! Then throw a diaper in a dry pail, close the lid, wait until I get bout 15 dipes, then I dump them in the washer without having to touch them, rinse them on cold for stains and then wash on hot to get them clean, then I take the covers out, and put the dipes in the dryer Viola! I don't need to get the poop off of dipes and my washer and dipes are always clean. When they are 1 1/2 or 2 you can just kind of shape the more solid poop into the toilet. No need to get hands dirty. When I'm out, I wrap up the dirt dipe, put in in a ziplock bag and put in a certain pocket in my diaper bag. I can have a diaper pain full of 20 dipes in my bathroom for 2 or 3 days without any smell at all. You can get a waterproof bag to line your diaper pail with, and then dump it inside out in the washer and wash the bag too, then the diaper pail never needs washed out.

Most CD mom's agree, that WAHM diapers are the best quality out there. Check out diaper reviews like on diaperpin.com But keep in mind that every diaper on earth will get a few bad reviews, there's no such thing as a perfect diaper


----------



## hellyaellen (Nov 8, 2005)

i got a few of those responses. esp. from my step-mom b/c she knows i tried it w/ #1. at that time i didn't know about anything but flats and pins. and had no support so yk...

but i had tons of info this time around and a good deal of support. honestly that has made all the difference.

i will neve use sposies again


----------



## tinkerpuppet (Feb 8, 2007)

I'm a late convert, we switched ds to cloth when he was 21mths. The only thing I regret is not doing it sooner! Its way easier than anyone ever told me, three extra loads of laundry a week really doesn't take that much time, and I was doing so much laundry when ds was a baby because of the poop explosions anyways. We were spending about $55-60/mth on sposies and wipes (cheap Walmart brand), so it doesn't take long to break even and start saving some money. Especially if you use them for another child, or sell them when you're done. And I had no idea how easy and cute the dipes are now, really they're just as easy to put on/off as a sposie. While my preferences keep changing as ds grows and gets more mobile and I get more experience, I think for a balance of cost effectiveness and ease of use I like fitteds and covers the most. But part of the fun of cd'ing is trying out the different kinds!


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

I CD my DD from around 4 months till she fully PT at 4.5 years. I have no regrets. I learned to use sposies when I needed to use them for us that meant looong trips or if I'd be out for more than 3-4 changes I ussualy stuck in a sposie or two and eventually we did find them "better" for nighttime. However Cloth was deffiently our first choice and the one both DH and I far prefered.


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:

i think cd's make potty training a whole lot easier. 20mo ds is well on his way.
And when it doesn't it will stiill save you a ton. We realized when DD was 3 that shes was not only no where near being potty ready (even with doing EC) but that processing delays and medical issues was going to keep her in diapers for quite a while. We bought about $180 worth of toddler sized diapers. (shes outgrown her regular ones) Mostly AIO style that she could pull up and down so we could start the process. She used those for 1.5 years we recently figured out that if we'd sposied for that same time we would have spent around $600-$700. So even if you do end up with a late trainer despite cloth it can be a huge savings.


----------



## ericswifey27 (Feb 12, 2005)

I cloth diapered my son all the way up to potty training at 3.

Washed everything at home. It wasn't a ton of work- I am doing lots of laundry anyway, so what's one more load on the side, ykwim? I'll admit to putting sposies on my son when going on vacation or sometimes when I knew we'd be out all day and I didn't feel like toting around a wetbag of used diapers (try to get Tushies or 7th generation sposies if possible). But it's possible to go 100% percent cloth also-lots of other people have managed to be totally sposie free, it's just something you'll have to decide for yourself.

I would just buy a bunch of different kinds of cloth used off the Trading Post or on Ebay. If you decide it's not for you (unlikely- it's addictive, they are so cute







) you'll get most of your money back whereas with sposies it's hasta la vista baby to your $, aside from the all other environmental and health benefits.


----------



## LandonsMom (Jul 22, 2005)

I'm another late convert, we didnt start until ds was 21 months old. But I LOVE it so far. I use a combo of pre-fitteds with covers and BumGenius 2.0s. Very easy and this is coming from someone who hates housework, most of all laundry! I drypail, I just drop the solid poos in the toilet and put the dipe into the pail. When its time to wash, I take the pail liner to the wash, dump all the diapers in and run the load. It really takes VERY little extra time out of my day.

What I'm really looking forward to with this new babe (due next mo) is the lack of leaks....DS leaked out of a sposie everyday for the first 3 months, weather it was pee when he was lying down or breastmilk poo explosions, the sposies could NOT keep up! I dont expect that to be the case with cloth. I NEVER have leaks as it is with ds (almost 2), and I really dont do anything special to avoid them. Sposie also do not contain poo smells well at all. I never wondered when ds had pooped in sposies, but now I dont know it unless he tells me or I check him. I can not smell it though cloth.

On the cost end of it, I figured during the first two years of his life we would have spent between $1500 - 2000 for sposies, (estimating a pack a week for the first year and a pack every other week for the second, at $20 per pack, which is about what we went through). Total for my stash for ds and new baby I've spent maybe $400. Sounds like a lot, but we'll break even after this new babe is only about 5 or 6 mo old!

Saving money is a bonus to me though, I'm just happy not to have to wonder what chemicals my ds is sitting in ALL DAY EVERY DAY! Not to mention the environmental benefits.

After you get started, people will start to believe you. Maybe you'll find out you actually like it!


----------



## Grace24 (Mar 9, 2007)

Thank you so much to everyone who responded! I'm overwhelmed...I knew some people would be for it but knowing SO MANY are so happy with it...well, it just makes me even more excited. One of my best friends (the one who led me to this site) just had a baby a month ago (I'm the god-mom







) and she CD's...she's going to send me samples of ones she made so I can make them at home. I can sew...might as well put it to good use! This must be the form my nesting is going to take.

Thanks again everyone, seriously!

I've decided not to discuss the diapering with people unless they ask (and why would they) ... I just don't need to explain myself. It makes perfect sense to me and to DH. That's good enough for us.


----------



## jrayn (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Grace24* 
Ok, every time I tell someone I'm going to cloth diaper they look at me like I have five heads and tell me I'll change my mind. Since I'm expecting my first and have no experience with cd OR sposies, I don't know if they could be right. I don't want to spend hundreds on cloth diapers I won't end up using if they're not convenient, but I just don't think I can bring myself to pollute with sposies.

I'd like to hear from anyone who's cd'd before, did it work for you, do you recommend it, did you clean them yourselves or use a service? Be honest!

Also, we will most likely not be using daycares, so I'm not worried about needing sposies for that. Most of our childcare will be sitters in our home so that makes it easier to CD. And we don't plan to travel too much.

I will give you my personal experience that I have learned through trial and error. I hate doing laundry, I am horrible at it. But I know how to successfully cloth diaper.
Get pocket diapers b/c the thick ones can cause washing troubles, especially if they are made out of cotton or hemp and thick, they take forever to dry and I had to wash them a couple times usually before drying, they can hold smells too then you have to strip them.
So the pocket dipes like fuzzy bunz, this time around I am going with bum genious b/c you can use them from new born to toddler.
They are thin and made out of materieals that dry really quick, then you just stuff them with the inserts so when you wash them the inserts come out they are thinner by themselves so the will dry quicker and will not have the tons of layers.
Also with pocket dipes you can get away with not using the drier b/c they dry so quickly.


----------



## Eben'sMama (Jun 29, 2006)

We have been CDing since DS came home from the hospital--he has never worn a sposie since! (In fact, we had planned on CDing in the hospital and I brought all his dipes and covers with, but--long story--he ended up in the NICU for a few days and I had to choose my battles). We have always used fitteds--Kissaluvs size 0s and 1s, then the Swaddlebees Organic Cotton Velour fitteds ever since--with wool covers, and we love them. DS is a very heavy wetter and we use Very Baby Basic Nights for nighttime with Aristocrats soakers. In 13 months, we have never had a leak or a rash with this combination, and in a few months, we'll have 2 DSs in cloth!









I see lots of people are recommending pocket diapers (FBs, etc.) and I think it's important to remember that CDing is a very individual thing and so much about whether something will work for you depends on your babe's size, shape, sensitivity to certain fabrics, etc. For us, the three days we used FBs resulted in the only rash DS ever had, and I just feel that for us, using natural fibers is more in line with the environmental aspect of CDing. Not bashing any FBs users--just my $.02. You have to figure out what's right for you, and it sometimes takes trial and error with different brands to figure out what's best. For me, the Green Mountain Diapers website was a great resource when I was just learning.

We wash diapers almost everyday and it's really not a hassle at all--it has just become part of our routine. You'll see lots of posts about what detergent is best, too. We love Charlie's soap and so do lots of other MDC families--again, you'll just have to see what works for you. I always think it's so funny when people find out we CD and ask, "Isn't that a LOT of WORK?" and I reply, "It's an extra load of laundry every day or two. But we have a washing machine and a dryer, you know--it's not like we have to take them down to the river and beat them against a rock!"









Good luck with your CDing! What a wonderful gift you are giving to your baby and to the planet. It really is lots of fun once you get into it!


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Just personally although I love the idea behind pocket diapers they gave us endless issues. We found them the hardest out any material to keep clean







: and battled endless buildup we also sadly discovered a poly allergy so we too prefer 100% cotton. We like one size fitted and simple prefolds and wraps during the bulk of my CD years I washed every other day. And pretty much just stuck them all in a laundry basket and used them from there







No folding...


----------



## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

We've been CD'ing since DS was about... 1.5-2wks old, using nothing but BG 2.0s - and they rock. I wash every 2-3 days and its been super easy so far! I have absolutely no desire to use sposies - we've been given quite a few and I'm just planning on donating them to needy families in the area. We used to use them when we went out and about, but found that they gave DS nasty rashes, so we quit and its not that big of a deal to use cd's out and about either, just a tiny bit more work when we get home


----------



## lolo'smom (Dec 30, 2006)

Jenns_3_babies said:


> I use Dreft which cleans them very well and takes out the smell.
> QUOTE]
> 
> NO! Don't use dreft! It will leave a film on your dipes and they will become less absorbable!!! See www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com for a list of laundry detergents to use!
> ...


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:

NO! Don't use dreft! It will leave a film on your dipes and they will become less absorbable!!! See www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com for a list of laundry detergents to use!
actually Dreft is one of our favorite diaper washing detergents as well







I use charlies soap because I find it more economical but dreft works extremely well for us. Matter of fact when we used all pockets and fleece lined fitted/AIOs it was dreft that finially fixed all our repelling issues. We dound it one of the cleanest rinsing detergents.


----------



## OldFashionedGirl (Mar 22, 2004)

I haven't read the whole thread yet, but wanted to chime in before my DS wakes up









First of all, let me say I do not understand the "too much laundry" argument. We're talking an extra 2-3 loads a week, and it's not as if any of us are beating them on rocks down by the river. You throw them in the machine and you walk away. You throw them in the dryer and you walk away. (Okay, I hang them on the line, but it's because I get a dorky sort of pleasure out of seeing them flap in the wind







) And it's not as if we're talking rocket science to fold 'em, either (I use prefolds and flats). For that matter, you don't really NEED to fold them, when you consider how fast you'll use 'em again. Just toss 'em in a basket by your changing area.

I used sposies for the first couple months because I got SO many as shower gifts. I mainly CD to save money, and since I couldn't find any rubber pants small enough anyway, I just used up the sposies. I do have one pack left that I use at 3 in the morning. As one mom already said, I'm too bleary eye to accurately aim pins at 3 am. When this pack is gone, I won't be buying more, though.

Also, right now, my fiance and I are still living with our parents (respectively), so there's a lot of back and forth goin' on. At his house, we typically use sposies, b/c that's what his parents buy. When I change DS he goes in cloth, but when my fiance does it, he goes in a sposie. I have informed him, though, that when we get on our own, I will NOT be buying diapers, so he better get used to the idea of cloth









All in all, I love cloth. I don't find it to be any more work or trouble. It's kinda fun changing him (except at 3 am







). It doesn't need to be expensive. As I mentioned, I use flats, prefolds, and rubber pants, and I've spent less than $100 on my stash (about 2 or 3 days worth). It's not glamorous, but I don't find it any more troublesome, and it works.

As others have said, buy a few and try it out. If you hate it, you can resell them and get a good chunk of your money back.

PS-->I will deviate a little from the crowd here. B/c this is your first child, I encourage you to have one pack of sposies for the first week, at least for back-up. The first week or two, I was too out of it to mess with CDs, at least for DS#1. I'd never had ANY experience with babies or EVERY changed a diaper, so it was very overwhelming for me at first. I expect I'll be better with DC#2, whenever he or she arrives.


----------



## tatermom (Jun 11, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OldFashionedGirl* 
PS-->I will deviate a little from the crowd here. B/c this is your first child, I encourage you to have one pack of sposies for the first week, at least for back-up. The first week or two, I was too out of it to mess with CDs, at least for DS#1. I'd never had ANY experience with babies or EVERY changed a diaper, so it was very overwhelming for me at first. I expect I'll be better with DC#2, whenever he or she arrives.









:

I agree with the above-- you will be very tired in the first week and may not have the energy to deal with CDs. At least have a pack of nb size sposies on hand so you have the option and won't feel like you are "giving up" to use them (plus when you stop using the sposies and switch to CDs you can appreciate how much better your house smells, how much less garbage you have, etc







). I plan on having 1 pack on hand for this new baby and figure when that pack is gone, I'm done with sposies, but that gives me a little more flexibility in the first week.


----------



## hottmama (Dec 27, 2004)

I CD'd my oldest son from one week (he came a week early, and my diapers were in the mail!) through potty training (at 21 mos.) He still wears a cloth diaper to sleep at 4, and he sleeps in my bed-- we never have leaks. My youngest son is almost 17 mos. old and has never worn a sposie! He was born at home, put right into cloth, and still wears it 24/7.
I have been camping for 3 days at a time, on week-long vacations, 12 hour car rides... I was a single mom with no car and no washer/dryer for a while... I lived in a third floor apt. with no W/D for a while (although my oldest was potty training and doing all his pooping on the potty then)... and through it all, I have cloth diapered without a second thought.
Disposables are so ugly, they smell funky, and they're terrible for the environment. Cloth diapers are cute, cheap, and reusable!
I used prefolds and covers (mostly Nikky's 100% cotton wraps) on my oldest, and I used prefolds for the first 5 mos. CDing my little guy before I bought a dozen Fuzzi Bunz. I now have a couple dozen pockets (3 for my big guy, ~20 for the toddler) and I still have the prefolds and covers I bought 4 years ago. I counted it up and total, I've spent about $300 on diapers for 2 kids! I bought all my pockets used and prefolds are cheap, especially if you get in on a coop (the coop board on here runs them pretty often). I resold my infant prefolds and small covers on ebay for about $5 less than I paid for them, new! So I only spent $5 on my kids' newborn/small diapers.
The only slight problem I ever had was when my littlest was born. He was 9 lbs. and too big for the newborn covers with the umbilical cord cutout, so we had to keep him in coverless prefolds (yay snappis!) or prefolds with small covers that rubbed on his cord stump until it fell off after 8 days.
Oh, and I've converted all of my friends to cloth diapers. I think in my 15 person playgroup, there are maybe 3 babies in sposies (well, one baby and two 2 yr. olds).


----------



## kittygrrl523 (May 27, 2006)

Another benefit to CD is that the dipes have great resale value. Nobody would ever want to buy a used sposie!!


----------



## jrayn (Jul 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OldFashionedGirl* 
I haven't read the whole thread yet, but wanted to chime in before my DS wakes up









First of all, let me say I do not understand the "too much laundry" argument. We're talking an extra 2-3 loads a week, and it's not as if any of us are beating them on rocks down by the river. You throw them in the machine and you walk away. You throw them in the dryer and you walk away. (Okay, I hang them on the line, but it's because I get a dorky sort of pleasure out of seeing them flap in the wind







) And it's not as if we're talking rocket science to fold 'em, either (I use prefolds and flats). For that matter, you don't really NEED to fold them, when you consider how fast you'll use 'em again. Just toss 'em in a basket by your changing area.

.

For people like me the extra 2-3 loads a week IS kind of an issue, I hate laundry I normally only do 2 or 3 loads of regular clothes a week as it is so that is doubling the load. I have to go outside to the laundry room to do the laundry, when my dd was an infant, she needed to be attached to me constantly and I couldn't use a sling that I bought so if I was doing laundry it was one handed or if I could sneak away when she was sleeping which was a rarity since I usually fell asleep with her, that and I seem to be the most absent minded person on earth and forget that I have clothes in the wash so I end up rewashing everything b/c of stink..... it was a big challenge to get things done, it has always been and really it is only now becoming easier and she is.... 28 months old.
That doesn't mean I don't like cloth diapering, but I am being honest and realistic. If someone is not a person that likes doing laundry and has their hands full then it becomes a ordeal. I have figured out a routine and as long as life doesn't get too hectic I can follow it and do cd 100% of the time, but it has taken almost 2 years to figure it out....
The most important things I learned IMO was... don't buy from ebay, check diaper reccomendations and follow through with them, and like I said in my previous post which I know some don't agree with, don't get really thick cotton dipes, they deteriorate much faster and they hold smells, they take more to wash and dry.
But if laundry isn't a big deal, that may not be as much of a problem.


----------



## lolo'smom (Dec 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *octobermom* 
actually Dreft is one of our favorite diaper washing detergents as well







I use charlies soap because I find it more economical but dreft works extremely well for us. Matter of fact when we used all pockets and fleece lined fitted/AIOs it was dreft that finially fixed all our repelling issues. We dound it one of the cleanest rinsing detergents.









Oh heck, guess this just proves how much cd'ing is different for everybody!







always heard bad stuff about dreft, never actually used it on ours! I'd still never try it but I"ll take your word for it octobermom, i've seen you post around here alot and you know your stuff!


----------



## Khourtniey (May 3, 2007)

I guess Ill add more









I did not CD my first for a few reasons..
1.. People bought me some sposies and I did not want to be rude and take them back
2. I never heard the term AP or anything related to AP until he was a few months old
which brings me to
3. I had no clue how to CD and no clue that there was other stuff besides Prefolds
4. he was in the hospital for a while after birth and they used sposies there so I just continued at home..

With second
I came to know the term AP a lot more
and knew a lot more people involved in the lifestyle
but still had no clue about other kinds of diapers besides prefolds
it was a hassle trying to cd him because he was on some medical equipment
but eventually switched and love it







Especially that I found others who CD and can give advice









Once you get the hang of it you will love it.


----------



## DevaMajka (Jul 4, 2005)

I like cd'ing.
I didn't use cloth diapers for the first few months of ds's life, because I was stressed out enough just taking care of a baby. I was NOT going to add having to learn something else that was new. hehehe
By the time I bought diapers, ds was in a Large Fuzzi Bunz (he was just a few months old- he was a BIG baby!). And he's still in the same diapers now at 2.5yo. I bought some other types, but stuck with the Fuzzi Bunz mostly.

I have 13 of them, so I wash them often. I wash them myself. It really isn't a big deal at all. The only time it gets frustrating is when the diapers start to leak or stink and it takes a while to get them stripped and working properly. But that's not often at all.


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:

I'd still never try it but I"ll take your word for it octobermom, i've seen you post around here alot and you know your stuff!
Why thankyou







of course remember I'm also the weirdo that uses bleach so







:







.. Yea diffrent people will have diffrent things work. There is a lot of people of think Dreft has fabric softener and it doesn't but I also know many that react to the scent so that can be an issue. Over time I learned my favorite detergents were. In order

Charlies soap
Sun and Earth
Dreft
Sun (with good rinses)

The worst for us
Allen Natural
Tide
All free and clear
biokleen (worked well but gave horrid rashes)


----------



## angelcat (Feb 23, 2006)

I started cd'ing around 20 months. As soon as I found diaper pins, actual;ly. I'd been looking for them for 20 months. I just ddn't know where to look. I started suing flat diapers & gerber rubber pants. Now I've found some wonderful fitted diapers that aren't too expensive.

It has it's moments, but mostly, it's ok. My daughter likes them better. if I put her in disposables too much, she complains & asks for cloth. And when I put cloth on she'll sometimes pat the diaper & say, "nice, cute!"


----------



## BetsyS (Nov 8, 2004)

I love my CD.

We,too, used sposies for hte first 2 weeks or so. I had bought some newborn AIOs off ebay just to try them out, and he didn't fit in them. I had prefolds and small covers, but those covers just fit (he was a big boy), so I returned them for medium covers (they were bought new). We used sposies until the new covers came. I used prefolds and covers (pro-wraps and bummis) pretty exclusively, with a sposie at night, until about 4 months old.

Then, one day, it hit me....dude, why am I spending money to use a sposie at night? So, I looked and looked at night time diapers, and I ordered fuzzi bunz. And, a remarkable thing happened. My dh started changing diapers regularly. He LOVES the fuzzi bunz. Go figure. So, I have enough fuzzi bunz for ds to be in them full time. Occasionally, I still use the prefolds and wraps, but most of the time, we use FB.

I agree with the easy laundry thing--I do 2 extra loads a week. I'm a new SAHM, so I have the time, my laundry room is right off the kitchen, so it's easy, and I love not throwing away money in the form of sposies. We use a dry pail, so it's easy, and just in the last month or so have we started having to dump poop (until now, it's been liquidy breasfed poop).


----------



## sagira (Mar 8, 2003)

Just wanted to chime in and say: I really like this thread!

Thanks for having this. Sometimes I have my doubts and think, "can I really do this??" but seeing so many people having success with CD-ing really makes it seem attainable.

That's why I put CD in my signature -- I'm not going to try it, I am going to DO it! (That was my same attitude with breastfeeding







)


----------



## kbstanley3 (Mar 7, 2007)

I've only been cd'ing for 5 weeks (that's how old my son is) but I absolutely love it!
Right now I'm using a diaper service that was gifted to me for the first two months, and the only covers I have that fit him (he's a tiny boy, only 7.1 lbs at his 1 month peds appt.) are cheap gerber covers. I have some nice wraps when he gets big enough to wear them, but that probably won't be for another month! But, I digress... the point I was getting to was I'm doing it the old fashioned way right now (prefolds, vinyl pants and pins) and I still love it! It's weird, but with cloth, diaper changes are kind of fun! In fact, I can't even get a sposie on the right way (yeah, it's actually easier for me to pin that to put on a sposie! Go figure...) And I can't wait until he gets big enough to wear his wraps, contours, and pocket dipes I made him! It's just so much fun to cloth diaper, there are so many different kinds, and plus, they're sooooooo much cuter than disposables. And the pinning thing is not necessarily a problem with all husbands. My hubby pins just as good as me, if not better at times. But then, he does most of the diaper changes when he's at home (not at work). I figure, I get to have quality time all day long with our son, and I breastfeed him, so dad needs some time too! A warning, though . . . it may become an obsession! I actually am teaching myself how to crochet just so I can make diaper covers!!!


----------



## dillonandmarasmom (May 30, 2005)

I agree, this is a great thread!
I went to cd with dd. I used some Kissaluvs (bulky and no real difference in absorbancy from plain old PF's), ME Sandies and ME one-size. I always used wool covers (hand-knit--I am a _knit_phomaniac







), or the one PUL wrap I had.
Personally, I never thought about the *extra work* aspect. It was just an extra load of laundry among soooo many loads. I just rinsed them in the bathroom sink and carried them to the diaper pail in the laundry room. I always washed in baking soda, vinegar rinse, occasionally some tto. I tried some Sun detergent, but I didn't feel comfortable with its contents. It did work well, but so does bs, and when you are on a budget and can get by with a more natural alternative, then do it!
I also have watched little ones who are/were cd'd. No biggie. Same routine. Rinsed in my sink, then placed in their wetbag.
I also use cloth wipes (until they are all dirty







), so that's actually the most time-consuming part...


----------



## awallrising (Mar 24, 2007)

First of all, most people who makes these comments have no idea what CDs are all about these days. My sister-in-law just did this to me at my shower this past weekend & bought me disposables. After she made a few comments, I realized that she was thinking about the old CDs she used on her little bros way back when (pins, rubber pants, etc). Like, I'm not a glutton for punishment. So I get out my bumGenius & show them to her. She was amazed at the difference between old & new. Of course this is a woman who had 2 planned C-sections, smoked while PG & feeds her kids junk food for breakfast so I take her comments with a grain of salt.

I'm new to CDing, but it seems like there are plenty Moms who are doing it without problem. It might be hard the first couple of weeks when you're recovering, but it can't be that big of a deal.

*OctoberMom*- what was bad about Allen's??


----------



## Mizelenius (Mar 22, 2003)

Quote:

I'd like to hear from anyone who's cd'd before, did it work for you, do you recommend it, did you clean them yourselves or use a service? Be honest!
Hey, first rule-- don't go telling anyone your business (I don't mean here)!







Joking, but not-- don't tell people you co-sleep and all that unless you really trust them. People love to give 1st timers advice AND scare them!

Anyway, here's my take on CDing. Do what works for you. Don't be rigid and no problem! With so many choices it seems overwhelming, but honestly, the simplest/cheapest system (prefolds, Snappis or pins, and nylon pull on covers) works well for most situations. I HIGHLY recommend it.

With my 1st, once I started cloth I was hardcore (and racked up 1000 posts on this board!). I only used cloth. With baby #2 and #3, we use disposables at night (no leaking issues-- more of a huge bulk issue) and for going out other than to someone's house.

Cleaning is no big deal. Breastmilk poo is not offensive. I throw it all in and do one wash w/detergent in cold, one wash in hot w/o detergent. Works great. Once poo is icky (5/6 months), you can use fleece liners and/or get your babe on the little toilet for poo. (I did this with my 2nd at 6 months and it was no problem). NO gross dipes!

With 1 in diapers laundry was easy-- now with a toddler/newborn both in dipes, everything is harder. Some days I use more sposies. So what? Go with the flow!


----------



## sparkprincess (Sep 10, 2004)

The idea of cloth diapers terrified me. I didn't start with my first ds until he was 19 months old. He'll be 3 in June and still in diapers. I've been cloth diapering a newborn for almost 6 weeks now.

I love them. Seriously.

I LOVE that I'm keeping sposies out of landfills. You would not believe how many diapers I wash in a 2-day period (not a lot of work though). I could NOT imagine dumping all that into a landfil.

I LOVE how cute cloth is.

I LOVE how easy it is. Especially if you go with something like Fuzzi Buns or another all-in-one. Easy peasy. Even for sitters or men.

I LOVE how well they work! I have not had a single blow out with my newborn! No kidding!

It's funny because someone was asking me about the laundry issue, like is it a lot more work. I said no because with my first ds in sposies he had so many blow outs that I was really doing the same amount of laundry - just outfits instead of dipes!!


----------



## OldFashionedGirl (Mar 22, 2004)

I should knock on wood for saying this, but I've never had a blow out w/ my 3 mo. old, even the first 2 months when he was in sposies. Is this something that comes later? Something I should be wary of? Or something that I should just be thanking my luck stars hasn't happened yet?


----------



## LandonsMom (Jul 22, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OldFashionedGirl* 
I should knock on wood for saying this, but I've never had a blow out w/ my 3 mo. old, even the first 2 months when he was in sposies. Is this something that comes later? Something I should be wary of? Or something that I should just be thanking my luck stars hasn't happened yet?









Yes, thank your lucky stars! The first four months, we had SOOOO many leaks (pee and poo) it was crazy! Although at the time it felt normal...I'm hoping life with cloth will be better this time around (we were in sposies last time!!)


----------



## octobermom (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:

OctoberMom- what was bad about Allen's??
For us it just didn't do a great job of cleaning diapers still held lots of odor but more we had major build up with it which for the price we payed made us







:


----------



## languid_kitty (Mar 15, 2007)

Yep, I got a lot of that, too. Mostly from my sister and my sister-in-law. But honestly, I find CD to be just as convenient as disposables. Right now we're using disposables because my son needs Nystatin to clear up a yeast infection, and those suckers smell much worse than the cloth ever does. Washing the diapers every 2-3 days is just as easy as taking out the stinky garbage of disposables -- possibly even easier, as my laundry closet is right next to my son's room.


----------



## mchalehm (Feb 5, 2007)

I fall somewhere in the middle on the spectrum here--I switched to cloth when my daughter was seven months old. I like it, in many ways, but it is more work. I'm not going to sugar-coat it and tell you it isn't more work. A manageable amount of work, for me, but every family is different.

What I love about cloth:
* Cute!
* It's saving us money, especially because I make some of her diapers.
* Better for the environment (this was a biggie; it's the reason we switched).
* It's snugglier against her skin.

What I liked better about sposies:
* When a diaper is really, truly disgusting, I always wish I could just throw it away. (My daughter, at 8 months, is still producing some really gross young-baby explosions.)
* Her skin is very sensitive (she inherited my husband's eczema), and it's harder to control with cloth. I'm not happy about the gels and whatnot in sposies, but they did keep her dry! I change her often, and it's do-able, but I have to work a lot harder to keep her bum from being rashy and blistery.
* I never had to lay out a ton of money AT ONE TIME for sposies. In the long run they are much more expensive, but that first cloth-diaper order is a shock to the pocketbook, even if, like I did, you order just prefolds and cheap covers.
* It's taken me a while to be comfortable with the fact that they're really clean coming out of the laundry. (A prefold with a stain on it--which happens on occasion--is still clean, but it doesn't LOOK that clean, you know?)

Overall, though, we're committed to cloth. (If nothing else, we spent the money, and we're going to get the value out of it!) Mainly, I just couldn't handle throwing away the sposies every week and knowing that they were going to a landfill. That was my main motivator, and it's still true, so the laundry (which I do not love) is worth it. But I do think I should warn you that there may be times that you think about sposies with longing. (Usually when you're trying to figure out how to handle a squirmy, poo-covered newborn, a diaper that you're going to need to rinse off, and your wipes....those are the moments that just dropping the diaper into the trash can seem pretty tempting!)


----------



## mchalehm (Feb 5, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *octobermom* 
biokleen (worked well but gave horrid rashes)

Really? I've been using this and battling rashes on and off all the time! I've tried other soaps too, but it never seemed like it was a soap problem...but maybe it is. Maybe I'll try something else.


----------



## skueppers (Mar 30, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Grace24* 
I'd like to hear from anyone who's cd'd before, did it work for you, do you recommend it, did you clean them yourselves or use a service? Be honest!

We've cloth diapered both of our children from birth. It works well for us -- I actually am much more likely to get a leak on the occasions when we use disposables (mostly for travel, or if we run out of cloth while out & about -- I always keep a few disposable diapers in my diaper bag as a backup).

I would recommend it, with the caveat that cloth diapering isn't exactly the same as disposable diapering. With disposables, many people don't change their kids' diapers until they're "full" of pee, often waiting many hours between changes. With cloth, most people change the diaper every time it gets wet, which with a newborn, can be very often indeed. There are times when I change my son's diaper 4 times in an hour, which is something a dispoable user would be very unlikely to do.

We wash our own, which we don't find particularly arduous.


----------



## mamamoo (Apr 29, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mchalehm* 
Really? I've been using this and battling rashes on and off all the time! I've tried other soaps too, but it never seemed like it was a soap problem...but maybe it is. Maybe I'll try something else.

We can not use any detergent with enzymes because it gives my kiddos rashes. BioKleen has them.


----------



## lolo'smom (Dec 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *octobermom* 
Why thankyou







of course remember I'm also the weirdo that uses bleach so







:







.. Yea diffrent people will have diffrent things work. There is a lot of people of think Dreft has fabric softener and it doesn't but I also know many that react to the scent so that can be an issue. Over time I learned my favorite detergents were. In order

Charlies soap
Sun and Earth
Dreft
Sun (with good rinses)

The worst for us
Allen Natural
Tide
All free and clear
biokleen (worked well but gave horrid rashes)

Ah, yes, well I use bleach too, I just can't give it up, my dipes are clean and stink free! Using planet now but have used Charlies liquid and powder and arm and hammer free and clear, no complaints with either. I can buy planet where we shop for groceries so I'm happy and I don't have to pay for shipping!


----------

