This is not a post about how to use cloth diapers. If anything, it’s a post about how I don’t know how to use cloth diapers.
It all started this week when I decided to make the switch. There was no prompt, I simply decided that it was time to a) stop being lazy and b) stop destroying the earth one Pamper at a time.
We are using these.
If you are wondering why they are so ridiculously expensive, rest assured that in a price contest between cloth and disposable, these bad boys win in a landslide. Not only can we use them from newborn to potty training, but they are rumored to last through multiple kids. This will save us thousands of dollars. It will also save the environment from a few less undegraded diapers in the landfill. Earth five!
The problem is that I am fairly uneducated and even more unmotivated to start this gig. My brain wants to, but my body says–I’m too tired to deal with this mess.
Fortunately (or unfortunately?), our bank account says we must. So I persevere.
These are not your grandma’s cloth diapers. They are pretty high tech. With that, however, comes some pretty intense instructions about their care. Like DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER, DO NOT USE DIAPER CREAMS, DO NOT USE BLEACH, DO NOT DRY IN HIGH HEAT, DO NOT SOAK, DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT MIGHT RUIN THESE BECAUSE THEY ARE 17 DOLLARS A PIECE.
The first day of fuzzibunz, we quit by noon. I started panicking about having the right kind of detergent and I was worried I wasn’t following the directions correctly. Day two, we lasted until bedtime. Day three and I’m determined to rock these as much as possible. I mean, could he be any cuter?
At some point I hope to write some sort of well informed post about the how-tos of cloth diapering and how wonderful and easy and glorious it is. Until then, your advice is more than welcome.
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Are you not even allowed to soak them in borax or baking soda? Anything to keep the smell in the bucket to a minimum?
I am very eager to see how this goes and to get all of your advice on it in a few weeks…I want to do it, but I’m a little scared!
How many did you get
7? We definitely need more to do this exclusively, but we’re testing this brand first before investing. There are lots of different kinds! So far, so good.
I used cloth for all of mine. But # 4 stopped b/c I never remembered to do laundry! I LOVED fuzzi bunz! and hh. Do you need any any any thing to stuff those pockets with? i have lots yet! i will also look and see if I have any more diapers. I will give them to you if I do. i want someone to have them who would use them! I already sold some to one of my friends. If I have anything! nice, I’ll pass it along! BTW, get a huge thing of baking soda, and every day or more (poopy) sprinkle it in the pail/bag. that will cut down the smell and helps with washing! remember, only use like a one tablespoon of detergent! and NOT baby dreft or something like that. I used xtra. (super cheap from walmart) I always use tide on clothes. but for some reason the cheaper things work better.( no fancy softeners, whiteners, etc….)
sorry to post such a LONG post, but I’m always happy when someone else is using them! (Did you buy a wet bag yet? they are SO CUTE!!!!!)
Thank you Heather! I appreciate the encouragement and advice. Good reminder on the one tablespoon of detergent. I tend to overdo the suds when I do wash because I don’t want anything to stink.
No wet bag yet! It’s on my wish list.
ok, one more thing! paper liners! they are great! if it’s just wet, toss it in the pail. they will wash a time or so before they fall apart. poopy? just peel it and flush it down the toilet! fabulous!
No, he could not be any cuter. We used g-diapers for a couple months, but then I gots the lazies and there was all this crying going on (you know)…so I was all, MIKE BRING HOME DISPOSABLES. And he did.
However, we have time to switch back now that colic is over. I saw a book on someone’s instragram today called Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom’s Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering.
Right up your alley, no?
Hey E! You’re right–if W didn’t get his jollies from crying all day..this would be much easier… (it IS getting better though, so soon I’m going to run out of excuses).
Will check out the Guide!
I use fuzzibunz too! It can be a bit daunting at first, but our daughter Zoe is 8 months and we love using them. We use Charlie’s Soap for the diapers and all of our laundry. It seems expensive at first, but it lasts quite a long time. I didn’t feel like it was worth the risk of ruining my diapers by using other detergents, but I know that people do use other kinds. If you want to get advice from lots of random people, you can “like” clothdiapersinc. on facebook and post a question there. Also, I’m wondering if you adjusted the waist on the diapers. It’s kind of tucked up inside the diaper and easy to miss. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. You can definitely cloth diaper. It saves so much money, and it’s not nearly as difficult as people make it out to be. Good luck! :)
Thanks for the tips, Deb! I’ve heard about Charlie’s Soap and I think we’re going to invest. Seems worth it.
his facial expressions are adorable!
I just did cloth diapers the old fashioned way – went to a Mennonite store and stocked up after we stopped using a diaper service. Yes, diaper service. I put all the dirties in a big bag on the front porch every Monday and got a bag of clean ones. ahhhhhh. My son is wearing undies during the day now, but still the old traditional cloth diaper, soaker, and rubber pants at night. Snappis are GREAT, much better than diaper pins (which I did actually have to use once when the Snappi broke).
I found all the modern cloth diapers SO CONFUSING – used gdiapers once from a friend.
They are expensive! How Many do you have? I mean my son needs at least 10 a day and if I have only 10, I’ll have to do laundry every day?
Tamara! Yes…they are expensive. We do hybrid cloth diapering–which means we do both cloth and disposable. There are a lot of cheaper cloth diapering options as well, but we do love fuzzibunz. I hear they will last through all the kids. Worth it.
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