My ultrasound a couple weeks ago helped me realize I have a baby coming. Soon. Not too soon, but soon enough. And that realization jumpstarted a week + of figuring something out.
A couple years ago, while at the park with one of my friends, her little boy had his diaper changed. Exciting, I know, but it started a long conversation. You see, he was wearing a cloth diaper. And it was cute, not one of those hideous old-fassioned pre-folds with pins and plastic pants. I was interested. I've always been a bit of an environmentalist, but I also find frugality, aesthetics, and convenience important. My friend informed me that by using cloth diapers, I could actually obtain all four. Really?
Environmentally, cloth diapers are wonderful. They do not pile up in landfills, adding non-decomposing and toxic waste to the system. Instead, they get reused over and over, recycling for years, and putting the waste where it belongs (down the toilet).
Economically, it is also a winner. Over the period from birth to potty training, a typical child will go through over $2000 in disposable diapers. Seriously. Cloth diapering is much cheaper in the long run. It has it's up front costs (top diapering systems will run you close to $400), but then they are used over, and over, and over again. Those diapers are meant to last the entire 2-3 years and then some, often being passed down to younger siblings. That's even more savings!
As far as looks go, you can get some really cute cloth diapers now days. Just take a look at all the various kinds, from BumGenius, to FuzziBunz, to G Diapers, Flips, Best Bottoms. . . the list goes on and on. They aren't huge and majorly bulky like the old style cloth diapers, and some are even as trim as the current disposables.
As for convenience, there is slightly more work. You will have to do additional laundry 2-3 times a week, but is that really such a big deal? You're already going to be doing laundry for your little one and all of your other family members. Also, there are no more late night runs to the store in icy snow because you "ran out". As for putting the diaper on the baby, there isn't much more to it then disposables. For pocket diapers, you simply stuff a liner in the pocket, then snap or velcro it on. For all-in-2 (hybrid) diapers, you lay the liner in the shell, then snap or velcro it on baby. No more folding or pinning with these diapering systems. Easy. For clean up, pull the liner and cover apart, spray off pooh into the toilet with a toilet sprayer, and toss in the diaper pail to be washed later. Still pretty convenient.
So, with all of these facts and a baby looming in the horizon, I needed to decide if I was actually going try cloth diapering or not.
Lucky for me, my friend needed someone to watch her boys for almost a week, and her youngest is still in diapers. While watching them, I got to try out BumGenius, a pocket diaper, to see how I liked it. Well, I did. It was really no big deal to rinse the diapers, stuff a pocket, or put on her son. The laundering was easier then I thought (why I thought it would be any more difficult then normal laundry, I don't know). That tiny bit of extra work was way overshadowed by the economic difference, and the environmental and aesthetic ends were definitely an added boost.
In short, it looks like I'll be using cloth diapers this time around.
4 comments:
totally agree with all you say. Plus, they recycle into great rags. What happened in the last thirty years to cause them to go nearly extinct?
We used Fuzi Bunz on our oldest. I loved them! He looked so cute! But I've become a little lazy the more kids I have.... :)
CLoth are the best and fun but don't over look the pre folds. All my friends that have done cloth ended up loving pre fold. They come with these things instead of pins and the covers are adorable. Both friends said it was easier and cheaper. The all in ones were great for baby sitters and husbands. lol. Hope you enjoy what ever you decide.
Ah, see, I'm planning on having my older kids help. I already told them they're going to. They have no choice. :) That said, It would be better to have the easiest method, I think. If it were just me, I might go with the prefolds (the covers are cute), but it's me and three others (dad and two sisters). I'm willing to pay the bit extra to have them help.
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