Most often when I tell people that we cloth diaper i get a negative reaction. People either think; gross, what do you do with the poop? Don't they leak? and its just too much money to get started ect. But the biggest would have to be people still thinking that cloth diapers consist of a pre-fold, diaper pins(big safety pins), and some sort of waterproof pants/diaper cover/wrap. Although this method of cloth diapering can and still is used today, cloth diapers have come a long way!(Thank goodness!) Now there is variety!
But first i want to talk about what you do with the "soiled" diaper! its really simple! You get a wet diaper, you simply take it off and place it in the diaper pail! You get a "soiled" diaper you can use the "old fashion method"... toilet dunking!! personally thats gross! You could use the shower hose, or buy a diaper sprayer. A diaper sprayer looks like the water sprayer that you have on your kitchen sink. It's attached to the toilet, and you simply just spray the soiled diaper over the toilet and then place the diaper in the diaper pail.
Also, you will need at least twelve cloth diapers to get started!
Now for the types of diapers! There's still the "old fashion diapering system" which would be a pre-fold and a diaper cover or waterproof pants or a warp, but instead of using a diaper pin you can use a "Snappi." Snappi's are awesome! A snappi is a stretchy diaper fastener that can't hurt the baby or you! You can get pre-folds in Birdseye flannel, cotton, hemp,or velour. This would be the cheapest way to cloth diaper! You can cloth diaper a child for about 200 bucks, birth to potty training with this method!!
Next you have your All-in-ones (AIOs) There pretty much like a disposable! This diaper has an absorbent inner which a waterproof outer is a attached to. These can be fastened by hook and loop(velcro) or snaps. You can get this diapers in a One Size (OS) which means that, that particular diaper will fit your child from about 10lbs-35lbs on average. You can also get this diaper in different sizes; extra-small, small, medium, large, and sometimes extra-large.(XS, S, M, L, X-L). So once the child grows out of one size then you need to purchase the next size up. These are your more costly diapers.
Now we have your all-in-twos(AI2s) also called hybrid diapers. These diapers have a waterproof "shell"(kind of like a diaper cover) that come with snap in liners or snap in soakers. So you have your shell, you snap in a soaker, then the baby soils the soaker and you just unsnap the soaker and place a new one in that same shell.( if that shell is not soiled as well) So technically with this diapering system you don't have to buy as may shells because they can be reused for multiple diaper changes if not soiled. Also this system gives you more room while on the go because you have less to pack or carry with you! You can also buy doublers to go with these diapers. a doubler is just an extra layer of material that is laid into the diaper to give it extra absorbency. You would use a doubler for heavy wetters, or if you child is sleeping threw the night to prevent leaks. These also can come in hook in loop, or snaps, OS or Sized.
Next are pocket diapers! These diapers have an outer-layer of waterproof and then on the inside they have a lining of fabric(usually, micro fleece or suede-cloth), then usually in the back(but sometimes in the middle or front) of the diaper there's a pocket that is open where you can see the waterproof material and then above it the lining if you look in it. Now inside that pocket you would stuff a. insert into it. An insert is kind of like a doubler, except this diaper has to have this in order for it to be effective. You can also add a doubler in the pocket for extra absorbency. Once most pocket diapers have been soiled on you have to take out the insert, although there are a few brands out there that have inserts that agate in the wash and come out on there own. This system is more time consuming because you have to prep each diaper or in other words stuff each diaper before use.These also can come in hook in loop, or snaps, OS or sized.
Lastly we have fitted cloth diapers. The outer and inner layer of this diaper consist of fabric, so you have to use a cover, warp, or waterproof pants with these. A doubler can be used with this method if needed. Depending on the brand these can be fastened with velcro, snaps, or your choice of diaper pins or a snappi. these can be purchased in OS or sized.
There are a few others that i did not mention, i was just trying to touch on the basics!
A few accessories that are helpful for cloth diapers are;
a diaper sprayer, doublers and snappi's (talked about above),
Two diaper pail liners, these are water proof liners that go into your diaper pail that can be reused! its nice to have two so when your doing one load of diapers there's something to put the soiled diapers in!
A wet bag. These are waterproof bags that you take with you to put your soiled diapers in when you are out and about! There's also wet-dry bags which are the same thing as a wet bag but they have a pocket on them where you can store your clean diapers or what have you!
Cloth diaper detergent!!! Very very important! Most cloth diapers can not be washed with regular detergent.( The kind we have can't be washed with anything that has; bleach, enzymes or fabric softeners) If you were to use the wrong detergent if could cause build up on the diapers and cause leaking! Then you would have to "strip" the diapers.
Diaper rash cream! You can't use certain diaper rash creams on cloth diapers, they basically will do the same thing as using the wrong detergent and you will have to strip the diapers!
Cloth wipes?? why not? might at well if your doing cloth diapers! just throw them in the pail and put in the wash along with the cloth diapers!
Wipe solution. its a solution that you either spray on the baby when you go to wipe them or add into your wipe case with your cloth wipes. You can also make you own wipe solution that is very simple (water, baby wash, tea-tree oil)
Over all cloth diapering is a great way to save money! Its said that it will cost about $1,600.00 to diaper a baby in disposables for 2.5 years!! Why not make it $200.00 with cloth(if you go the cheapest rout)!! Yes there is an up front cost but you don't have to buy them all at once!
No comments:
Post a Comment