{"id":2310,"date":"2014-10-01T10:00:59","date_gmt":"2014-10-01T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ridiculousredhead.com\/?p=2310"},"modified":"2015-02-17T11:53:27","modified_gmt":"2015-02-17T16:53:27","slug":"our-adventure-with-cloth-diapers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ridiculousredhead.com\/?p=2310","title":{"rendered":"Our Adventure with Cloth Diapers"},"content":{"rendered":"

On the crunchy spectrum I think I am probably middle of the road but others may disagree. \u00a0With all my talk on here of organic this or reusable that, many of you may think I pretty crunchy. \u00a0I would try to argue but since today’s topic is our use of cloth diapers I won’t get much traction. People thought I was a bit crazy when I gave up paper towels so the whole the cloth diaper thing isn’t helping that opinion.<\/p>\n

While I was still pregnant I read a lot about cloth diapers and really wanted to try them. \u00a0I wasn’t sure what I was getting into and the biggest problem I saw was the upfront cost to buy a bunch. \u00a0They aren’t cheap but since you only buy them once and use them for years, you save money in the long run. \u00a0Since I was putting together a never ending list of all the things that needed to be bought I procrastinated on this. \u00a0I figured I could ease my way in once he got here and skip over the newborn stage of diapers.<\/p>\n

Well once the kid got here it was kind of a whirlwind so he was about 4 months old when I started trying to figure it out. \u00a0I had wanted to try cloth through a diaper rental but they were only for newborns and now he was too big! \u00a0Jenn at Earthy Crunchy Mama<\/a> helped me find a few different styles and kinds to let me try out so I knew what I wanted before spending a ton. \u00a0I think this is very important. \u00a0I totally thought I was going to like one kind and ended up wanted a bunch of another. \u00a0You can always resell them but not at full price, so start small.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, reselling can be a gain if you are the buyer. \u00a0I scoured Craigslist for awhile and as luck would have it there was a woman who bought a big stash of name brand diapers that she barely used. \u00a0Her family wasn’t into it so she was selling them for about 75% off. \u00a0That meant I could try out a bunch of different kinds to see what I liked.<\/p>\n

Let me just say that I kind of thought I was going to have to be a martyr on this one. \u00a0I thought it was going to be something I knew I wanted to use, was good for the baby and the environment but that I was going to think was a huge chore. \u00a0After more than six months I can happily say that is not the case! \u00a0Our experience with disposable diapers was awful. \u00a0Luckily he didn’t end up with rashes (from the chemicals & plastics) but they weren’t great at holding things in. \u00a0And that’s kind of their whole job. \u00a0Overnight not only would the diaper be soaked, but his pjs, his swaddle and the sheets would be soaked too. \u00a0Every morning. \u00a0Then there was the lovely part with the poop blowouts. \u00a0At least twice a week I would have a tiny child covered from tush to neck in poop. \u00a0Getting a poop covered onesie over someone’s head without getting poop in their ears is a gross challenge. \u00a0So you see I was dealing with a lot of laundry and touching poop more than I would have really preferred.<\/p>\n

Since we switched to cloth, and figured out what worked, none of that mess has happened. \u00a0He wakes up every morning with dry clothes and sheets and I have yet to have a poop blowout. \u00a0The only time we have any leaks is when TB and I completely space and look at each other saying “but I thought you changed him?” \u00a0My point is that people get grossed out that cloth is a lot of messy work but in my experience it’s exactly the opposite!<\/p>\n

There are entire websites dedicated to info on cloth diapers so I will let you explore some of the links below that have helped me. \u00a0And feel free to ask me any questions you may have. \u00a0It’s a bit overwhelming at first, especially with all these moms with their cloth diaper slang (“fluff” for example) so I have put together a few of the basic types for you to start with. \u00a0I get a lot of comments referring to the old cloth diapers with the plastic pants and these couldn’t be further from that. \u00a0Most people are completely shocked to see what modern cloth diapers look like.<\/p>\n

First up is the All in One Diaper or AIO<\/strong>. \u00a0It has a PUL (waterproof fabric) outside with the inside absorbent layers sewn in. You use it once then throw the whole thing in the wash. \u00a0They are most like a disposable diaper but aren’t as customizable and take longer to dry. \u00a0This one is from Thirsties and is a small size although it does have the snaps that shorten up the front to make it smaller.<\/p>\n

\"aio<\/a><\/p>\n

\"aio<\/a><\/p>\n

Next is the Pocket Diaper<\/strong>. \u00a0This one has the same outer PUL fabric but with only a layer of microfleece sewn on as a pocket. \u00a0These require some kind of absorbent layer inserted into the pocket which makes them very customizable and quicker to dry. \u00a0The downside is you have to stuff each one with the insert. \u00a0Most of mine fall into this category. \u00a0The one below is from Apple Cheeks in a size small (you can see there are no adjustable snaps on this one) with a Loopydo insert.<\/p>\n

\"pocket<\/a><\/p>\n

\"pocket<\/a><\/p>\n

The next kind is the Cloth Diaper Cover.\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0This has the same outside PUL fabric but nothing is sewn in. \u00a0These can be air dried in between changes and used over and over with new inserts (unless you get poop on them, then wash them because, yuck.) \u00a0These are typically more affordable since you can buy only a few covers and lots of inserts and have a nice stash. \u00a0These are easy to wash and quick to dry but can look scary to newbies and babysitting family. \u00a0You will also notice that most diapers have a choice of velcro or snaps. \u00a0Velcro can be easier (and more like disposables) for adults but they are also easier for two year olds to get off. \u00a0Plus velcro is really loud and when you have to change a baby that you just rocked forever and it wakes that baby up, you may wish you had quieter snaps.<\/p>\n

\"cloth<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"cloth<\/a><\/p>\n

You need to stuff most of these with something and there are a ton of choices. Below we have from left to right:<\/p>\n