Cloth diapering a newborn with toddlers underfoot?

Question

I'm 12wks pregnant with my 3rd child, and am considering cloth diapers for this one. My other kids are almost 4 and almost 2, and we used disposables with them. I can see how if you choose wisely, you can save a lot of money this route and really the extra laundry is not a big deal. My concern is the flushing/rinsing of the diapers on demand with two other very active children underfoot. I see you can buy flushable liner cloths, which may be a solution. I'm also torn between using a service that provides prefolds (which of course I could buy covers for), or getting the all-in-ones and washing myself. I would really like to hear from people that have multiple children, especially close together, about their thoughts on cloth diapers and the logistics of how they make them work. The only people I have talked to personally about this have only one baby - and no offense, but cloth diapering one baby is really no big deal.

Answer 1

I cloth diapered my second born child. His sister was three years, four months when he was born, and I cloth diapered him from the time he was born until he potty trained at three. When he was two I babysat four year old twin girls (boy, were they a handful!) and their five month old sister- also in cloth diapers. So for 10 hours a day, five days a week- I had a baby and a toddler in cloth diapers, plus 2 hyperactive 4 year olds, and a five year old. So I think I'm suited to answer your question. :)

It's not a big deal, really- I honestly never thought about it being too much work because of the older children. However, if I thought I had to rinse out poopy diapers, I may have thought twice about my choice. I never once had to rinse out a poopy diaper. Keep reading to find out how...

If your baby will be breastfed, you can just throw the diaper into the pail and wash when it's time. Breast milk poo is completely water soluble so no extra work is needed at all. Older babies poop is solid and will generally roll right off the diaper when held over the toilet. No toilet dunking is required. For the babies with the peanut butter consistency of poop, diaper liners and/ or the diaper sprayer make an easy way to clean. If using flushable diaper liners, simply lift the liner up out of the diaper by the corners and flush. If using a sprayer, hold diaper by a clean corner over the toilet and spray poop down into the toilet. Diaper pail is stored near the toilet so no wringing of the diaper is needed.

There is also a cool device called the Diaper Duck, that I'm not even sure is still sold anymore. But if you can find it, I'd get one if I were you. You can fold the diaper over this device, hang it on the toilet- it will hold it securely so you can ecen flush the toilet without losing the diaper, and then when ready, you just twist the device and it wrings out the diaper for you- and you don't even get your hands wet.

I really don't think having older children around will be an issue for you at all. In fact it will be more fun. They'll want to help change the diapers, and get to pick out what diapers they want you to put on the baby. I bought my friend fitted diapers for her new baby and I chose some in Spiderman and Pokemon prints to amuse her 6 year old. Those were his favorite diapers, he loved to help change baby's diaper!

If anything- you can choose to wait for a month or two after birth to get settled into a routine before starting cloth diapers. Though I have to be honest with you- everyone I know that waited- were all sad that they missed cloth diapering a newborn, and hoped they could someday have the experience. It's seriously hardly more difficult than disposables, and with all the new inventions and cute prints these days- it's fun and addicting! Good luck with your decision!

Answer 2

I am mom to 4 children. They are now 28, 26, 22, and 10. I used cloth diapers with my older 3. That was back in the day when disposables were fairly new and very expensive. I was a college student when the first 2 came along and money was pretty tight. My first child was 2 years 4 months when the second came along and I had both in cloth diapers for a little while. My second was 3 years 2 months when the 3rd came along. He was a late potty-trainer and he still wore diapers sometimes, especially at night. At the time, I didn't think too much about using cloth diapers as it was just the best way to go for us, disposables just weren't an option. The flushing and rinsing was just part of the diapering routine and the older kids didn't really give much of a thought to what I was doing so it wasn't a problem. Diaper services were not much cheaper than disposables in those days and we didn't have much in the way of extras like disposable liners and covers. Cloth diapers, diaper pins, plastic pants, and a diaper pail were part of my life for about 8 years in a row. Truthfully, cloth diapering, regardless of how many kids you have, isn't that difficult once you get into the routine. I have been a child care provider in my home for 20 years. I rarely have a cloth-diapered baby any more, but in the early years I had both cloth and disposables to deal with on a daily basis. It took me about the same length of time to change a diaper regardless if the diaper was cloth or disposable. I am licensed for 6 children and generally had that many at my home at any one time with usually at least 2 in diapers. I think whatever way you decide to go, you'll get in a routine and having other children while using cloth will not be that much different than if you use disposable.

Answer 3

It is really difficult to CD a newborn. Not inconceivable if which you can afford the price. Personally, I used the free packs of diapers my household and friends provided. I suppose whole, I used three packs of diapers and then switched to my cloth. What I also did used to be stretch the disposables via utilising a fabric prefold at home with no newborn quilt. I still use the prefolds as inserts, so they paid for themselves, and i didn't must put money into the pricey NB covers. By the point my few bags of disposables had been gone, my baby fit within the small covers. Having a NB is a project, use what you've and what you might be cozy with. Cloth diapers are a first-class way to go, but there is no purpose you can not be given and use those free disposables your associates offer you.

Answer 4

I know a lot of gals who used the poo pockets pattern (it is not an all-in-one-you need a cover). It fits newborns right up to most 2.5 year olds. I made cloth diapers for my cousin's cousin who had twins and they used the flushable liner cloths. A service will cost you as much as disposables, so you won't see any costs savings there.

Answer 5

Well, I can give you some insight, not from expeirence but from my mothers. She takes care of kids. and at one time she was watching 5 kids, all under 6 years old and one with cloth diapers, she was able to do it, even though it was only for 8 hours. I do know she thought it was a pain in the butt but she did manage to do it and successfully. I would say try doing it yourself, but it won't hurt anything if you decide to go to a service. If anything, you just now have a few extras on hand just incase.
Good Luck!