Back to Cotton: The Honest Truth about Cloth Diapering

The Underground World of Cloth

Before Robby was born, we received a gift certificate for a diapering service. I'll be honest, I never considered cloth diapering nor did I even know that people still used them. Cloth diapering seemed far too outdated and why go through all the trouble if we had disposable diapers? I figured since I had a gift certificate and since it was a service where I didn't have to bother with the unimaginable cleaning of the diapers, I would just try it out. Sadly, by the time Robby was born, the diapering service had been discontinued, but I was left with a gift certificate to this cloth diapering company. I didn't know where to start with cloth diapering, let alone know if I could manage all the laundry, safety pins and the dampness of the cloth when it was soiled as I held Robby (I didn't quite grasp the concept of a waterproof diaper cover yet).

Fortunately, all my assumptions were wrong and after researching cloth diapering, I discovered that there was an underground world of mothers who use cloth diapers. I was amazed at how I never noticed this market before. There were so many options! AIO (all in ones), pocket diapers and prefolds... just to name a few. After looking at all the different types and styles, I grew fond of the adorable look of cloth diapers. But is the cute factor enough to convert? I decided to try it out part time and decide what the rage was about.

Robby as a newborn with a prefold diaper

Robby as a newborn with an Imse Vimse newborn diaper cover (bought gently used for $6.50)

Why Cloth?

It was hard not to see the controversy behind cloth diapers when researching the different types out on the market. There was the "gross factor". Who would want to handle a soiled piece of cloth every hour and then have a pile of smelly, poopy, stained diapers that had to be washed. And it couldn't simply be added to a load. It would require mild detergent, sometimes even specially made detergent just for cloth diapers, and it couldn't be used with fabric softener. What a hassle that seemed to do a special extra load for diapers! No wonder disposable diapers took over so quickly. It seemed so much easier to just not have to worry about any of that, and throw away those stinky diapers.

With this being said, after trying it out for myself, I didn't find any of my assumptions to be true. It truly wasn't much more of a hassle. It took all but an extra 30 seconds per diaper change and I was doing much more laundry every day cleaning up spit up, stained shirts from leaky boobs and did I mention spit up? And surprisingly, I discovered another benefit of nursing. Breastfed babies have water soluble poop meaning you can plop those diapers right into the wash without rinsing the diapers first. While I decided that it was far simpler than I had imagined, I knew there had to be something that drew people to choose cloth other than the shock of how simple it actually is.

The environment: If anyone has had a baby, they know how often they need to be changed, especially during the first few months. 10-12 times a day was our average and then the average floats around 6 changes per day by 1 year. That calculates to 3000 to 3500 diapers in the first year alone. Where do those diapers go? A landfill. I was never much of an environmentalist, but after having Robby, I am more concerned with the world he will be left with. If I was staying at home with him, why couldn't I just use cloth part time to help reduce the amount of diapers that end up in those landfills?

The cost: Diapers are expensive. Like cloth, there are so many disposable diapers on the market and each baby and parent develops a preference. We loved pampers swaddlers. They didn't cause him much irritation, fewer leaks and had that awesome blue line that appeared when he was wet (great for new parents!). But our preference came at a high cost. Pampers is one of the most expensive diapers on the market. Spending anywhere from $20-$30 a week on diapers was the norm. How much do cloth diapers cost? Well that varies, and no matter what type you use, they are pricey! Cloth diapers range anywhere from $10-$30 A PIECE! To build a stock, you have to have at leave enough to last you two days, that way you have enough to get you through one day why you wash the previous days. The cloth diapering market is hot, and folks spend $300-$500 to just start building their stock. That is a low estimate, and that number is still hard to swallow, but it is extremely low when factoring in just how long you can use the diapers (some can fit from birth to potty training and last for multiple children). You will easily spend over $1000 on diaper pail refills, diapers and wipes in the first year alone. You can end up saving thousands by the time your child is potty training by using cloth. $500 seems much more doable when it is put that way.

A roll of biodegradable linersfrom Bummis
(included in kit or $8 alone)

Motherlove diaper rash & thrush ointment for severe
 hot spots ($9.25)and GroVia Magic Stick for everyday use ($14.31)

Better for the bum: Robby has taken my sensitive skin. Anything will set off a rash. I have tried so many creams, diapers, wipes and the only diaper that doesn't irritate his tooshy is good ole' organic cotton, granted that he is changed shortly after he wets them. Cloth diapering had a bad wrap for causing irritation to the delicate skin of babies, but that is simply not the case, if cloth diapering is done right. How many people enjoy the touch and feel of synthetic materials? Look and see what your boxers/underwear are made of... diapers are no different. No one enjoys that feel of tough fibers found in artificial material. What disposable diapers have that cloth doesn't, is the small beads that expand when soaking up pee. The wetness is wicked away from the skin so parents don't have to change baby after EVERY poop or pee. That seemed lazy to me, since my job was being a stay at home mom/wife. Why couldn't I change Robby after each time he pooped or peed? Why wouldn't I WANT to change him after he soiled himself!? Cloth diapers lack those crystals that soak up urine and expand with each pee or poop so if you let your child sit in a wet cloth diaper for multiple hours and multiple poops and pees, they will get a rash. The answer is to CHANGE THEM OFTEN! Now I am also a realist and understand that overnight, naps or long trip, changing baby after each poop or pee is not always possible... I get it. That still doesn't mean you should grab that pack of Huggies off the shelf. Cloth diaper companies see this and have made "soakers" which is an added piece of thick, plush cotton or hemp that adds extra absorbancy. Cloth diapers have come a long way since our grandparents used them. I use the good old fashioned prefolds, but they are just as great for Robby's bum. The organic cotton is plush and thick enough to absorb, comes with a thin strip of organic fleece that help wicks away moisture from his bum, and instead of slapping on gobs of nasty butt paste with my fingers, we have an all natural organic stick of rash resistant petroleum that locks out moisture and looks like a glue stick. No mess, lasts longer, and guess what.... NO RASH! It is much more comfortable for him and I can invest my money in quality items that last much longer.

I love my baby: The ultimate reason we chose cloth was the same reason I chose to breastfeed. I love Robby. Now that is not to say that non-breast feeders and cloth diapering parents do not love their babies, because we know that is not true. There is controversy wrapped up in formula and disposable diapers, but there is absolutely no wrong in the wholesome goodness of breast milk and the same goes for cloth. Both are a labor of love. It is the satisfaction of doing the best with what we are given, not what society is trying to sell us whether it is the latest rage in pull up huggies or the "organic" similac formula.

Returning to Prefolds

Like breastfeeding, I ran into difficulties trying to keep cloth diapering during our 3 months of moving by myself with two dogs, a newborn and all our stuff. It was far from easy to live out of a suitcase, move from the US to Japan and  then keep cloth diapering. With Robby's posterior tongue tie, I had to pump every two hours, in addition to try to nurse him, then prepare him his formula as my supply still dipped. My biggest goal was to breastfeed as long as I could even wile moving solo across the globe, and sadly, cloth diapering took the back burner. I was hauling around a huge pump, and I couldn't do the same with my cloth diapers and run to the laundry mat (if they were available in our hotel) every day to clean them. Our military move took a toll, and just like nursing, we stopped cloth diapering at 6 months old.

Our diaper pail which is a generic trash bin ($9.99)
 with wet bag liner from Planet Wise ($16.50)

After we felt settled, moved in and started our new routine, I wanted to go back to cloth. I couldn't go back to nursing, but I knew I could go back to cloth. It was rather a simple transition! We still use prefolds, which is a layered piece of cloth that is folded to wrap around his bum and held together with snappies (which different from safety pins, is a rubber claw that grabs onto the prefold and hold it together). Then we have the covers that are oh soooooo cute and keeps his prefold diapers from leaking onto his clothes. The diaper covers are breathable PUL material and not "rubber pants" so it keeps leaks in and allows air to come through.

Since Robby is a tad bigger now (by 20 pounds) and we know that means bigger poops, we invested in liners (a 100% biodegradable piece of cotton, like a dryer sheet or piece of toilet paper, that lines the top of his prefold to catch his poops so we can easily plop them into the toilet) and then a cotton soaker to help absorb more pee since he is a heavy wetter. It is an easy process, and we have a special bin with a lid (just like a garbage pail) that is lined with a "wet bag" (which is a washable bag made from the same material as his diaper covers that keeps the smell and moisture in). At the end of every 1-2 days, I take the liner/wet bag and dump it into the wash with all its contents. It is easy! I don't have to worry about the blue sausage link of pampers from our diaper genie and take it to the trash. I just walk down the hall and start a load.

We still use disposables for sitters, long trips and we are ok with doing so. We know that not every place we visit will have a washer/dryer and I can't ask his sitter to man handle a tissue with his poop in it and flush it. It is easy, but Robby is also my baby so of course it doesn't bother me. I take a few prefolds and an extra diaper cover or two with me for day trips and errands, but when I travel for longer than that, I take disposables, because with my husband always being away doing his Navy duties, I lack the extra set of hands to carry the additional bag of cloth diapers

Traveling with cloth diapers is not impossible. Just be sure to have a smaller wet bag to keep your soiled linens in. I have one and it doesn't take up much room at all.

 Bummis Kit of 18 prefolds, 4 covers, roll of flushable liners, 5 fleece liners,  & large wet bag ($152.93)
Pack of 5 Snappies ($12.95)

Cloth Wipes

Now I have given you reasons why I use cloth diapers, but I failed to mention how we clean up. We use cloth wipes as well. This is beyond easy and I LOVE them. They make specially made cloth wipes, and we have 12 of those, but if you have any thin infant/baby wash cloths, those work great as well. We have 12 of those that we use in conjunction with our specially made cloth wipes. I have a wipe warmer, fold the cloths in half, place them in the warmer and put our home made mix of water, oil, baking soda and baby soap in it. It smells great, cleans well, delicate for his bum and goes in the wash with the cloth diapers.

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Set of 12 flannel wipes from Bumkins ($5.95) & wipe warmer from Munchkin ($25)

Homemade Goodness

I haven't purchased any specially made laundry detergent or wipe solution, but they are certainly out there. They are pricey, but of great organic quality. To save money, I make my own wipe solution and laundry detergent that is safe for cloth diapers. The reason cloth diapers need special care in the laundry is to reduce the risk of making the diapers less absorbent. Cloth diapers are all about absorbency and fabric softeners, fragrances and creamy diaper creams can build up residue on cloth diapers decreasing their absorbency abilities. I used to use plain Dreft on his cloth diapers, but even Dreft is slightly fragrant and that artificial fragrance can build up residue. Here is the recipe I use for his diapers and wipes:

Borax Free Detergent
1 5oz. bar castile soap, grated finely
1 c. washing soda
1/2 c. baking soda
1/2 c. citric acid
1/4 c. coarse sea salt

This is an AWESOME detergent, cleans very well, but will wear down colors, so be cautious when using on your regular laundry.

Wipes
3 c. water
3 tbl. oil (baby oil, olive oil, any organic oils...)
3 tbl. baking soda
3 tbl. baby soap (aveeno has some great ones)

I make a batch every week and pour over newly washed wipes in my warmer. It is easy! You can even take that to-go wipe container in your diaper bag and take some with you.