Showing posts with label Cloth Diapering. Show all posts
I have been researching the best way to care for and launder my cloth diapers for the past month now. I realized just a few minutes into my search that there are MANY different ways to launder cloth diapers and EVERY person will tell you a different way. One thing to keep in mind is that there ARE different ways to care for cloth diapers and it depends heavily on which TYPE of cloth diaper you use (AIO, Pocket, prefolds, covers, one-size, etc).
Here is what I have found that MOST experts (including the manufactures) agree on when it comes to caring for and laundering cloth diapers:
-- Free and Clear detergents are BAD. I had originally planned on using All Free Clear for my diaper laundry b/c it seemed like the cheapest option. But, according to the experts Free and Clear detergents cause residue build up on cloth diapers which is what can cause them to leak.
-- Wet pail storage systems are BAD. Soaking diapers in water for long periods of time cause the fabric on the diapers to wear down and will shorten the lifespan of your diapers. Also, wet pails are a safety hazard for young children. I also wonder where in the world you would empty the dirty water at the end of the day...down the sink? That sounds pretty gross.
-- Using fabric softener on cloth diapers is VERY BAD. This causes build up and major residue problems with cloth diapers. I've even read where if you use fabric softener sheets on your regular laundry the residue can build up on the inside of your dryer and transfer to your diapers when you dry them. Not good!
-- Rockin' Green Detergent is GOOD. Actually, pretty much every website and review I've read on this detergent has been better than good. Rockin' Green gets fantastic reviews and people swear that it keeps their diapers in perfect stain-free, stink-free condition.
-- the sun is GOOD for diapers. Line drying helps remove stains from diapers and makes them smell good too!
As you can see, the list of things people agree on when it comes to caring for diapers is pretty short. Here is what I have found are the gray areas that you will get a million different answers for:
-- using Tide Original Powder on diapers: GOOD or BAD? Some manufactures say absolutely not since Tide contains enzymes and brighteners. Other companies say enzymes are good for the diapers.
-- using Bac-Out as a pretreater for soiled diapers. Once again, some say this is a must, while others say this will wear down the PUL on your diapers over time and cause problems.
-- using Oxiclean Baby or Oxiclean Free on diapers. Some say they add a scoop to every load of diaper laundry. Others say this is an absolute no no.
-- using bleach on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- using vinegar on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- using baking soda on cloth diapers. same as above.
-- putting cloth diapers in the dryer. Some say it decreases the life of the diapers, others say it is fine and that it actually keeps the PUL nice and tight.
Here is a list of detergents that I've read are NOT good for diapers:
-- Purex
-- any free and clear detergent including Tide and All
-- Arm and Hammer
-- Gain
-- any Tide detergent except original powder form (the verdict is still out on that one)
As you can see, all of this information is extremely overwhelming. That's why I've spent hours researching. My goal is to keep our diapers in perfect condition so we can reuse them on multiple children. So, here is what we have decided to do (tentatively):
-- For treating soiled diapers: Oxiclean or Bac-Out in moderation. We are also going to try out using a piece of fleece inbetween baby's bum and the diaper to protect the diaper from staining. Or we MAY try flushable liners...but I'm still not sure if I can justify that expense. If the fleece gets soiled you can just bleach the heck out of them or use as many stain removers as you want on them-- no big deal.
-- Detergent: We are going to try out Tide Original Powder and see how it works for us. I can get a years worth of Tide powder for under $35 (that's without coupons/paying full price) compared to $75 a year for Rockin' Green. If we find we have problems using the Tide, then we will consider buying the more expensive detergent. Right now, we just can't justify the extra expense of using Rockin' Green if the Tide works perfectly fine.
-- Pail system: We are going to use a dry pail system (see previous post). I plan on doing diaper laundry 3-4 times per week.
-- Drying: we will probably do a combination of line drying and using the dryer.
** side note. Bumgenius has specific instructions on their website about caring for their diapers. It also lists specific products that will VOID the warranty of their diapers. You may want to read this carefully before deciding which products to use on your diapers. www.bumgenius.com. We fully understand that using Tide Original Powder will void the warranty of our Bumgenius.
First off, I am in the market for an additional part-time job to help us make some extra money before the baby is born. The kids I nanny for are going back to school in 2 weeks, which means my salary and hours will be cut back a lot. So, I've been sending out my resume and trying to brain storm different job scenarios that would be good for me to pursue at 7 months pregnant.
Josiah made it through summer school-- ALMOST. He has 2 weeks left and is doing fantastic. His grades are great and he made it out in one piece, plus he got 12 hours of credit! I'm so proud of him.
Our 1 year anniversary is this Saturday-- can't believe it! This past year has flown by so fast! We are going to Nashville for the weekend and I'm really excited! I'll post pictures when we get back.
In other news, we bought a car today. Due to an unfortunate chain of events, we had to shell out the cash a little earlier than expected to buy a second car (we've been a 1 car family for the past 2 months). Although we weren't quite ready to buy a car, we found something we really love for an incredible price. Best of all, it's an SUV, which will make carting baby Greenlee around much easier. We joked today that this is our anniversary gift to each other. I'll post pictures of the car as well once I get around to taking some :)
Lastly, I wanted to post a picture of our cloth diaper stash! We have been so blessed by family and friends who have been kind enough to buy us cloth diapers!! My mom and dad bought us 3, my friend Kristin bought us 1, friend Lisa bought us 2, and Josiah's sister bought us 2. I also received 4 free diapers from Kelly's Closet using promotional codes I found on RetailMeNot. We currently have 23 diapers, which is enough to last us several days so I won't have to do laundry very often at all. Here is a run down of the different diapers I have:
8 Bum Genius 3.0 w/velcro
1 Bum Genius 4.0 w/snaps
2 Happy Heinys
3 Rumparooz
3 Bum Genius Organic
3 Flip Diaper Covers (10 inserts)
1 Katydid
1 Bum Essentials
1 Knickernappies
I may buy a few more here and there ( I really want to try out the Tweedle Bugs and Kawaii), but overall we are set in the diaper department!
The only thing we really still need is our hanging wet bag that we'll use to store the dirty diapers until laundry day. Kelly's Closet has some really cute ones called Planet Wise in the most ADORABLE patterns. They have handles at the top and you just hang it from the door knob and zip it up and it keeps any odors at bay until laundry day. Then you just unzip the bag, empty out the diapers into the washing machine, and toss the bag in with the diapers to get all fresh 'n clean :) Simple!
The adorable hanging wet bag I have my eye on. Almost too cute to put dirty diapers in!
The diaper stash!
I must admit, most of the cloth diapers we have purchased so far are on the expensive side, ranging from $15-$25 per diaper. But, as I have found through further research, there are cheaper, quality alternatives that can make the initial investment of cloth diapering much less expensive. Here are a few less expensive brands that I have read tons of reviews on and seem to work just as well as the pricey cloth diapers. I will probably purchase some myself once Greenlee is here and if we find we need a few extra diapers in our stash.
Tweedle Bugs One-Size diaper w/Snap closure. Retail at Kellys Closet: $12.95
As you can see these diapers come in adorable colors and all the reviews I have seen out there are extremely positive. No leaking, no wearing down in the washer, etc. One-size means that they fit babies from birth to potty training through a unique snap system that expands the diaper as the baby grows. I plan on purchasing at least one of these diapers in the future.
Econobum One-Size diapering system. Retail at Kellys Closet: $9.95 for 1 cover and 1 insert. $8.95 for cover only.
This diaper is made by the same company who makes Bumgenius, Cotton Babies. It is only available in white. It is composed of two parts: the cover, which is the white outer shell, and the insert, which is just a thick piece of fabric that fits into the diaper and holds all the pee/poo. Instead of changing the entire diaper at each changing, you simply do a quick wipe down of the cover and replace the soiled insert with a fresh insert. Once the baby goes #2, then you replace the cover as well. At first I was very turned off by this type of diaper (seemed too complicated), but with further research I have become more intrigued and plan on trying a few of these types of diapers with Greenlee. You only need a few covers and a dozen inserts to last you 2 days, so you spend less money investing in this type of system. I currently own 1 Econobum and I'm excited to try it out. Oh, and it also fits babies from newborn to potty training.
Flip diapering system. Retail at Kellys Closet: $13.95 for cover, $16.95 for cover and insert.
This diaper is also made by Cotton Babies and is basically an upgraded version of the Econobum. It functions the same way with the removable insert and the reusable outer shell. It comes in lots of fun colors and also has flaps in the front and back of the diaper (see pictures) to help keep the insert in place. I currently own 3 of these diapers and I have 3 inserts for each cover. Basically, 1 cover and 3 inserts is the equivalent of 3 diaper changes (depending on how often your child has a BM). So, if your child only needs 6 diaper changes a day you could get away with 2 covers and 6 inserts which would cost you $49 at Kelly's Closet (you can buy these diapers in a starter kit which is a better bang for your buck than buying all the covers and inserts separately).
Kawaii One-Size diapers. Retail at Kelly's Closet: $9.95
From the reviews I have read on this diaper, it is very comparable to the Bumgenius 4.0 diaper. It has velcro closures and fits babies from birth to potty training. Like the Tweedle Bugs shown above, this is a One-Size pocket diaper, which means that the inserts are placed underneath the top layer of the diaper into a hidden pocket. It looks very much like a disposable diaper. At each diaper change a new diaper is required because the top layer of the inside of the diaper is made of fabric (fleece, suedecloth, etc), and cannot be wiped off like the Flip or the Econobum, which have a plastic-like interior surface. Once again, I have seen excellent reviews on this diaper, but it seems there are very few retailers that sell this product. I have only seen them for sale at Kelly's Closet and 1 other retailer. I plan on purchasing a few of these diapers for Greenlee in the future.
*also, a side note on snap versus velcro closures-- it is simply a matter of preference. Velcro seems to be easier for dads, daycare, grandmas, etc to use...but doesn't always hold up in the wash as well as snaps. Snaps tend to be better in preventing little ones from taking off their diapers themselves and if you want something that is going to hold up better in the wash.
So, as you can see, it does not have to be super expensive to start your cloth diaper stash. You can have a complete (12-24 diapers) stash of any of these diapers for under $200, which will last you from birth to potty training. With the Flip and Econobum, your investment would be under $150 because you only need 4-6 covers and 12-18 inserts. Hope this helps anyone who is considering cloth diapering on a tight budget!
Even though the majority of our cloth diaper stash so far is the Bum Genius One-Size, I've been researching a new brand called Rumparooz and I really want to try them! They are One-Size diapers just like Bum Genius, but they claim to fit newborns more snugly than the leading One-Size diaper. Most people say not to start Bum Genius until your baby is at least 10 lbs because they are just too big and bulky-- which can cause leaks. Rumparooz also have a huge selection of patterns available which I like :) Lastly, they are the only cloth diaper that I have seen that have gusseted sides-- just like a disposable. This helps prevent leaking and keeps all the yuckies where they should be-- in the diaper!
I have found that Kelly's Closet is an excellent online retailer for cloth diapers and has a huge selection. They always run free shipping specials and no matter what shipping is free on purchases of $49 or more. Right now they are running a special where if you buy $20 worth of merchandise they give you a cloth diaper for free. I'm thinking about making an order just so I can try out the Rumparooz! Rumparooz are one of the most expensive cloth diapers I have seen ($23.50 per diaper), but apparently they are worth it.
Anyways, for those who are interested in cloth diapering, Kelly's Closet has a rewards program-- for every dollar you spend you get rewards points. Once you get 250 pts you get a $10 gift card! If you keep saving your points you can hold out for higher gift card amounts :)
That's my cloth tidbit for the day!
I love my new cloth diapers! They come in adorable colors-- I chose the clementine (orange) and the Zinnia (pink). They are so trim and look so much like disposables. The only difference is you throw them in the washer and dryer after each use-- and I'll NEVER run out of diapers! Whoohoo!
The inside of the diaper is SO similar to a disposable. It's 2 thick, absorbant layers of organic cotton that are attached to the diaper-- so no stuffing, no liners, etc. Just snap on the diaper and you're ready to go! These diapers are also available with velcro tabs, but I like the snaps better. Wow, I'm realizing that I sound like a sales lady...I guess this is just something that I have been researching for 5 months now so I like sharing what I've learned.
So, yesterday I found out that the cloth diapers I want are being discontinued, therefore, they are on sale! Apparently, Cotton Babies (the company that makes Bum Genius) are releasing a new product today that is bigger and better than the type of diaper I originally wanted. That's all good and well by me, but I wasn't about to pass up a fantastic deal on the old diapers! Plus, I figure the new diapers will be on back order for a while and will be pretty pricey at first. Anyhoo, so I decided to buy a bundle pack of the Bum Genius 3.0 One-Size since Cotton Babies was running a buy 5 get 1 free sale. Plus, I had a coupon for 5% off so I thought I got a pretty good deal!
I also bought a few cloth diapers from a local baby boutique here in town-- pictured above. They are different than the bundle pack (b/c they have liners built in, have snaps, and are organic) I bought online and are much more expensive. I wanted to show them to Josiah before I bought the ones online so he could see if he REALLY wanted to do cloth. He liked them a lot and agreed that we should buy a few each month to space out the initial investment.
I really wish more people would be open to the advantages of cloth diapering instead of just writing them off as disgusting and too much work. If you really take the time to research you will find that there are a lot of myths out there about cloth, such as:
Myth #1: cloth diapers are too much work.
--I can understand this argument if you are a working mom, but if you stay home with your baby it is one of the best ways to save money for your family! It really isn't a big deal to throw in a few extra loads of laundry a week. The Bum Genius can go in the washer AND the dryer, just like normal laundry...and you use half the detergent of a normal load of laundry!
Myth #2: cloth diapers are too messy
-- With the new technology that is out nowadays, they really aren't any messier than disposable diapers. The only thing that is different is once the baby is on solid foods you have to dump the poop in the toilet, but the lining of the cloth diaper is microfiber so the poop literally just shakes off-- no poopy hands or rinsing required! Breast-fed babies have poop that is water soluble, so you just throw those dirty diapers straight in the wash and they come out good as new. In between washes you just use a lined rubber trash bin (you can get them at walmart) with a lid and once the bin is full you take the bag out and empty all the diapers straight into the washing machine. No big deal! For times when you are on vacation, on the go, have a diarrhea baby, or even just for night use-- you can use disposable diapers. You will still end up saving THOUSANDS of dollars by using cloth. Even with coupons or generic diapers, disposables will still end up costing the average couple $1600- $2500 in 3 years. Cloth diapers cost around $300 for the total investment.
Myth #3: cloth diapers are too bulky
-- not anymore! Once again, with all the new technology cloth diapers are trimmer than ever and have a comparable fit to disposable diapers.
Some benefits of cloth diapers:
-- help prevent diaper rash (parents who cloth diaper consistently report that diaper rash is a non-issue for them)
-- less blow outs (blow-outs are pretty much non-existent for babies who wear cloth)
-- super absorbent, which could mean less diaper changes!
-- save tons of money
-- eco friendly (not a big concern for me personally, but I thought I'd just throw that on the list)
-- no chemicals on your baby's sensitive little bum bum!
-- never run out of diapers, just go wash a few and you're good to go
-- can be reused for additional children, which means you save even more money!
Anyways, I'll get off my soap box now. Hope you enjoyed my review on cloth diapers. I'll keep you all posted once we start using them with Greenlee. We plan on starting her once she weighs 10lbs :)
Yes, it's true, Josiah and I are considering using cloth diapers instead of the conventional disposables. I have been researching the pros and cons of cloth diapers since I first found out that I was pregnant, and so far I am feeling pretty confident that they can save us a good deal of money in the long run (under $300 vs. $1500+ from birth to 2 years). What I've decided to do is add half a dozen of the diapers to our baby registry, which should be enough to do a "trial run" and see if we like using them or not. We have chosen to try out the Bum Genius brand, pictured above. They come in all different colors and have an adjustable snap system, which allow the diaper to grow with the baby. Just one single diaper will fit an infant from birth all the way to 35 lbs. So, we could get away with buying a dozen diapers and using those same diapers from the time Greenlee is born, until she is potty trained...AND reuse them for our next baby. Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. The one downside is having to wash diapers every day or every other day. But, to me it would be worth it to save a few thousand dollars! Currently, my mom has stocked us up on enough disposables to last us the first 3 months of Greenlee's life (can you tell she is not too fond of the cloth idea?), so we will use those up first, and then start her on the cloth diapers. Grandma Jane will be so proud when she reads this post-- she cloth diapered all of her children! But, thankfully, cloth diapers have come a long way in 27 years and they are much more high-tech now! They even have disposable/flushable liners which we plan on using. You can check those out on my Amazon wishlist.
