Has anyone here tried cloth nappies?

Question

I think what I really want to know is, is it too much trouble to bother using cloth nappies instead of disposable ones? Do the nappy liners work to prevent too much mess? Do the plastic pants prevent too many leaks? Are they easy to wash? Did you give up in the end?

I don't like the idea of the expense of disposable ones, as well as the fact that they are dreadful for the environment. Is it worth it?

Answer 1

I love cloth diapers BUT I use a service and don't have to do the laundry. Look into it, seriously. I hadn't considered cloth when I was pregnant because I knew I wouldn't want to do the laundering and I *thought* that a service was only for rich people. My mother-in-law looked into it for me and it turned out it was only $15/week! The cost of disposables would have been higher, and the service provided all the diapers and even the pail. All I had to buy was the diaper covers.

If by liners, you mean something like this: http://www.diaperaps.com/home/dp1/page_9/Flushable_Diaper_Liners.html I didn't use them. I tried them, but when I did, my baby's poop was still very runny and they didn't help at all. And when his poop got more solid, they weren't necessary since the poop would roll off into the toilet easily. BUT I have a buddy who does her own laundering and she loves them.

As for diaper covers, I've always used the ProRap velcro covers. They look like this: http://www.diaper-eze.com/pages/940715/index.htm and I had less leaks and leg blowouts with them than I have had with disposables on my boy (which I use overnight and when we leave the house.) They go right in the washer and dryer and come out perfectly clean. They DO stain around the legs where poop has gotten on them, but they smell clean and the stains are only on the inside so it doesn't bother me. I keep 6 or 7 on hand and that seems enough to keep them laundered.

To be honest, I have just given up on cloth recently but it's not for any other reason than that my son is potty training now, uses less than a handful of diapers a day, and less all the time. So, disposables have become more affordable and we need the money!

I would recommend cloth to anyone though, if you can find an affordable service. My boy has only had two diaper rashes since he was born and both times were during bouts of diarrhea. I didn't have any problem telling when he was wet and keeping him changed. I find that I get lazier with the disposables.

Answer 2

The answer is YES, it is worth it.

I'm an adult incontinent male and I have used both disposables and cloth diapers in order to make the final decision myself.

With disposable diapers, I kept getting diaper rashes, when I switched to cloth, they disappeared and I've never had another one since.

There are many reasons why I now wear cloth diapers all the time. I don't put all those hazardous chemicals against my skin, I don't throw all that paper, plastic and human waste into the landfill, the diaper alone takes decades to decay and the human waste seeps untreated into our drinking water.

By using cloth diapers I don't have the constant recurring costs of buying disposable diapers, using them once and then throwing them away. I do a load of laundry every three days, that is just two extra small loads a week which is a lot easier than getting into the car and driving to the store to get diapers all the time.

Cloth diapers are so much more comfortable than disposables. The disposable diapers are hot and sticky (one of the reasons for all the rashes) whereas the cloth diapers breathe and help keep me more comfortable.

Cloth diapers are a little more expensive up front but the more you use that cloth diaper, the cheaper it gets over time. I've been using the same cloth diapers now for two years and they are now down to about 15 cents each time I use them. I'd like to see you buy a disposable diaper for that price.

As far as being detectable under clothing, neither are if worn properly.

I think every parent should be made to wear both type of diapers for about 3 months each before they have a baby and let them decide which is more comfortable. After all, isn't it the baby's comfort and health that you should be thinking about? Not your own convenience? Think about it, you are condemning your child to years of diaper rashes, and uncomfortable fitting and feeling diapers by using disposable diapers, when cloth would be feeling so much better and be so much better for your child.

If you were to put your child in disposable diapers, I would seriously have to think about how much do you really love your child. If you really do love that child then you will use cloth diapers.

Good luck.

Answer 3

I use them, to a point. If I plan on being out for more than an hour or so I will use disposables, and if I have a sitter I will have them use disposibles as well. They are great, as long as you don't mind cleaning them. For the first few months I get a diaper delivery service (hard to find in some areas), then I start washing my own. You have to dump out and flush the solids, put them in a hamper with water and a few drops of bleach, and wash every day or every other day. It takes some extra effort, but it think its worth it.

Answer 4

I've been CDing (cloth diapering) for 2 yrs. I have two in nappies for night and naps at this point. I love it. My favorites are Indian Prefolds under either a wool cover or a fleece cover. I have no leaks and the disposable stink is non existent. We have no rashes and the dipes are a piece of cake to wash.

Come to...
http://diaperswappers.com/forum/

You can get all of your CDing questions answered.

Answer 5

We use cloth nappies, and we're very happy with it. As others already said, they're quite convenient to use nowadays.

We do use disposables, but only when on journeys. Otherwise, no.

Hope it helps.

Answer 6

Personally do u really want to be washing a poopy cloth nappie? ANd who has time in this day and age to wash those things. It's much easier and less stressful to get the dispossable ones....

Answer 7

I've seen many people use cloth nappies,I think it's ok though I think it's really messy and you can't prevent the pee from leaking so you have to change it as much as the kid pees.There's a washable diaper right? you better try it.

Answer 8

I did it for a few months. I went to disposable just the fact it became much easier. The liners do work to a point. There was leakage, but the ends did not justify the means of having to do laundry as much as I had to. I gave up needless to say.

Answer 9

yes it is very worth it, the money you save alone is great, they have come a long way baby, they work great and you can get a whole set on ebay cheap, i have used them for all five of my kids, it really is easy to do, and your child will potty train a lot earlier

Answer 10

I use fuzzibunz cloth. I love them.