Ty wasn't due for months but I was already thinking about how much diapers were going to cost us. While I've never had to buy them in America (beyond a pack I gave at a baby shower once), I thought they were probably more expensive here. Maybe not. Maybe I just haven't bought when there's a fantastic sale going on. Does it really matter? Bottom line: you have to have them and they're not cheap.
This is when I stated seriously considering cloth diapers. Though the very thought of going cloth stressed me out and basically had me wishing I'd birth a four-year-old who was already potty trained, the realization of how much disposables would run me over the course of at least two years was more than I could justify. My mind was tug-of-warring itself, one side pulling for MUST.RESIST.CLOTH!! while the other was all CAN'T.HANDLE.DISPOSABLE.PRICES!!
I broke down and started to face the music. Cloth it was.
I started researching, reading blogs, watching videos and talking to cloth diaper veterans. I had about 40 questions and a diaper-load of doubts, but I managed to pick up a few tips. I found the most luxurious, most cushy-tush diapers on the market and ordered two dozen. They looked easy to work with and had rave reviews. My thinking was, "if I'm going to do this, I'm doing it MY way!" I researched approved detergents (because you can't use just anything, apparently) and ordered some on Amazon, since my mom was coming for a visit and could bring it. I also purchased the perfect dirty diaper trash can to store the things in until washing day, which, by the way, happens every 48 hours. I was set.
I wanted to wait until Ty's thighs were substantial enough to hold back the masses so we didn't get this party started until he was eight weeks old. Today marks three weeks into our cloth diaper venture, and I just need to say this loud and clear:
I love cloth diapers!
Me! How did this happen? How could this happen, is the better question. There is absolutely nothing glamorous about it and I was so sure I'd hate it to death. But somehow, I don't. Somehow, every time I slap one of those *extremely thick and padded* diapers over Ty's shiny little hiney, I think about how great they are. I can hear the savings :) That's an exaggeration, but I haven't had to buy diapers in over three weeks. I've earned the right to exaggerate.
The diapers we went with are the BumGenius All-In-Ones, and they are the best of the best in my mind! One of the reviewers called them the "cadillac" of cloth diapers, and while they are the only ones I've ever used, I couldn't agree more. They are so easy, ANYONE could do it. I could probably train Ty. No, I couldn't, but seriously, these things are easy! They are one-size-fits-all, from 8-30ish pounds (please, tell me I won't be changing his diapers when he weighs 30 pounds). The snaps work beautifully and we haven't had any "instances" beyond what you normally experience with a baby in diapers. As far as I can tell, they work just as well as the Pampers he was using.
Now, I won't lie to you; cloth diapers are an investment. I ordered 24 diapers and it cost me almost exactly $400. My mom about had a cow. But when you do the math, I came out on top. While I would't pay $400 up front to put Ty in disposables, by the end of year one I would have spent probably at least that much. Then you've got year two. And as go the diapers, so goes the price. Bigger diapers, bigger price. Next, quality cloth diapers can be reused with successive children, something you definitely can't do with disposables :) Finally, the icing on the cake was that I was pretty sure we'd get a few cash gifts when Ty was born. People were very generous and at this point, we've recouped our losses in their entirety.
Our process right now is simple, since he's still nursing exclusively: put dirty diaper in trash can, put all dirty diapers in washing machine every other day, hang on line to dry, repeat. The washing cycle recommended is a clod wash, a warm wash, and an extra rinse. I don't do detergent with the cold wash, and in order to have a warm wash, I'm boiling two electric kettles-full of water and dumping them into a small amount of cold water already in my machine; I don't have a hot water connection to the washer. But this has worked great for us so far! Then the sun bleaches the washed diapers so well, you can barely tell they've been used!
Once Ty starts solids, his diapers will also start solids, pardon the graphics. At that point, I'll have to change my pre-wash routine to include a bit of scraping and swirling (sorry, I know it's gross). Todd feels my lack of having to do...that...might be why I love cloth diapers so much. He could be right; our relationship might change from one of absolute infatuation to mild disgust, but for now, I am seriously loving the cloth :)
A few pieces from our collection, awaiting the bleaching power of our strong winter sun :)
And of course, one very cute diaper model :) This one is his "Einstein" diaper, the wearing of which gives him the world's most intelligent bum.
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