Cloth Diapers (nappies)?

Question

I'm 34 weeks pregnant. I'm in total sticker shock over the price of disposable diapers. For those of you who used cloth, what should I expect (if that's the route I plan to take)? Can you tell me everything about your experience with cloth diapers?

Answer 1

Hello, and congratulations on your soon-to-be-here baby!

I never thought I would be writing this, but I LOVE cloth diapers. Please don't let anyone tell you that cds are trouble, hard to care for, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth!

There are several cloth diapering options. There are the prefolds, which are the oldfashioned kind that many folks think of of when they think of cd's. These are very inexpensive, and need either pins or snappis, along with a cover. If you use a diapering service, this is likely what you will be getting.

A step up from that is fitted diapers. These diapers are contoured to the shape of your baby, and usually close with Aplix (like Velcro but very heavy-duty!) or snaps. They are incredibly absorbant and need a cover as well. Covers can be the kind that are plastic pants, just slip them over the diaper, or more modern styles with fun prints and Aplix closures.

The next type are the pocket diapers. This is the system primarily use, and they are so nice. The diapers have a PUL outershell which makes them leak-proof, no need for covers. The layer nearest the baby's bottom is microfiber, so all moisture and poops is wicked away from the baby's body, unlike disposies. Inside the pocket you use a "stuffin", which can be almost anything... microfiber, hemp, even a prefold diaper folded into fourths. This is the absorbant layer. When you wash, you simply shake out the insert and toss insert and diaper into the washing machine. No need to pretreat.

Finally there are AIO (all in ones). These are most like disposies in that they are one piece, and after use you just take them off and wash them. They have PUL covers attached, and "doublers" on the inside for added absorbancy. They are also the most expensive.

For washing cd's, very little extra work is involved. You don't need a special diaper pail. A diaper champ works well, as does a plain rubber trash can with a lid. On laundry day, wash your dipes seperately. Run a cold soak, using some Bac-Out for heavily soiled diapers, then wash in hot with 1/4 to 1/8 the amount of detergent you would normally use. They should be line dried when possible, though the inserts (if you use pocket diapers) and AIOs do well in the dryer. Any discoloration comes right out if you dry them in the sun.

NB babies need a LOT of diapers, and cd's are an investment. The good news is you can recoup much of the cost by reselling on eBay or other site. For my babies, I waited until they were around 10 lbs to invest in a large stash of cd's, as I didn't want to put out the money for the NB size, which they would quickly outgrow. I have about 24 diapers total, which is more than enough. I wash diapers every 2-3 days, and always have three of four spares for diaper bag and emergencies.

The savings if you use cloth diapers depends on which system you use. Prefolds are VERY economical, but do require covers. The pocket diapers I use, Happy Heinys and Fuzzi Bunz, cost me $230 for diapers plus inserts (I buy hemp inserts which cost a bit more). This will last me until my baby is about 22-25 lbs (around a year, for my babies... maybe longer for babies who aren't so plump!). I bought the diapers when my son was 2 1/2 months old, and won't have to buy any more diapers until his first birthday. By my calculations I would spend over $800 on disposies for this same amount of time, so to me, the money is well spent. (It costs me about 11 cents per load of laundry in terms of water and energy usage, but I have an HE washer-- otherwise the average cost is 15-17 cents).

There are TONS of great online diaper stores. Most of them are run by WAHM (work at home mom)s who are more than happy to give you individualized advice. Good luck! I hope you can find a system to work for you.

Answer 2

I used cloth diapers. While it does create alot of laundry. I think it does save alot of money from the disposable. I always kept a plastic hamper with water in it (half full). I would put pee soaked diapers in that until laundry time. Prerinsing wet poop is also essential. If solid I always emptied it over the toilet then placed in the hamper. If you are a stay at home mom, cloth works fine, just get the plastic covers to apply over the diaper, it will catch whatever the diaper doesn't. It you are going back to work, the cloth would probably not be a good idea, as most daycares will not use them.

Answer 3

Disposable diapers are expensive, but they are a convenience. You pay for the diapers, use them, and throw them away.

Cloth diapers also have to be purchased and they aren't cheap either. You are going to have to buy a container to keep them in once they are soiled until you have enough for a washer load. You're going to have to at least rinse them out once by hand before you put them in the container to await washing. That's taking you time and using water which you may or may not have to pay for depending on your housing situation. When you have a full container, you'll have to wash them and maybe use a special soap so you have the expense of the water, the electricity to run the washer, and the soap. If you dry them in a dryer there's that expense, but if you dry them outside there's your time and effort. The you have to fold them and put them away to start the cycle all over again.

So the question is, do you want to pay for the disposables and be done with it, or rinse, wash, dry, fold cloth diapers continually? There is a reason why disposable diapers are so popular. I personally think they are more sanitary as well.

Answer 4

I use cloth diapers for my daughter who just turned 10 months. There is such a wide variety these days! I did a lot of research when I was pregnant and decided on Kushies Ultra All in One. They are fleece lined and go on just like a disposable (they have velcro fasteners). No pins, no rubber pants, etc. I bought them at www.thanksmama.com and I have also seen them on ebay. www.thanksmama.com has a great explanation of each of their products that they sell so that you can figure out which cloth diaper you will be happiest with, also they have great tips on how to wash the diapers. They have a fabulous customer service dept. No, I don't work for them or have any affiliation with them, I'm just a very happy customer. The cost upfront is hefty but in the long run you will save so much money.

Answer 5

i used pampers and huggies diapers and they aren't that expensive. sign up at one of their websites and they will send you coupons. i am a low income mother and buying diapers isn't that hard really. i have a 3 year old in pullups and a 10 week old in pampers. a newborn goes through about 6-8 diapers a day. a package of 88 pampers swaddlers is only $16 at walmart, minus a coupon, voila it's almost the price of generic. cloth diapers are a lot of hassle. you have to wash them once and then run the washer again with no soap to get it all out. my mom said my dad wouldn't let her have diaposables and we ran around covered in desitin because it gave a us rashes. the only thing i used cloth diapers for is burp cloths.... diapers for one child should cost about $40-$50 a month. not really that bad really. after a few weeks the baby does't use as many. maybe 5 a day because they start sleeping through the night which elimiates 1-2 diaper changes. just remember cloth diapers don't pull the wetness off the baby's body like the diposables do.

Answer 6

I used cloth diapers, and my baby seemed to be the only one who was not continually plagued with horrible diaper rash. The trick with cloth diapers is to have way more than you think you might need (I don't remember how many dozen, consult a book on preparing for baby). You need to have a really good diaper pail, with a mixture of bleach and water in it. Put the wet diapers in, and don't wait too long to launder them. I think it's really worth the effort, especially with wee babes because they don't make big messes. OH! The MOST IMPORTANT PART - use diaper liners! They are definitely worth the expense! Hope they still make them! Use one EVERY time, even if you don't expect #2. Good luck!

Answer 7

I've only used cloth diapers for my 8 mos old and really it's just another load of laundry every week. We are a family of 6 so it's more trouble to wash everybody's clothes than the diapers. And i'm saving hundreds of dollars.

Answer 8

I wanted to use them to save money and the environment, but it's alot of work when you have a newborn. Unless you have someone to help you, I'd go with the disposable ones. My oldest would go through the cloth diapers I had so fast. They stayed wet near her body and the pins and the rubber diaper covers.... It was just too much!!!!!
You can always alternate between the two...

Answer 9

Never used cloth diapers except for cutting them in half for burp rags. Have always used disposable. I couldn't handle the messes with the cloth diapers, not to mention the extra laundry.

Answer 10

My son still gets diaper rash in cloth diapers/nappies. However, they never seem as bad and go away much faster then when he was in disposables.