Diapers Q&A

What are your opinions on cloth diapers?

I'm only 19 weeks pregnant, but already getting really nervous about the extra expenses of having a baby. We're thinking about trying cloth diapers for the baby rather than the disposable ones. What are your thoughts? Are they terribly hard to clean up? Anyone out there tried them? The only conclusion I've been able to come up with is that if someone is babysitting for me I would definitely let them use disposable ones, just because I'm sure it would be easier for them.

Public Comments

1. There are many options - you could get a diaper service, but that's just as expensive was disposable diapers. But also keep in mind that you'll be spending more money on laundry detergent/chemicals and water bill. Overall, it tends to be close to the same cost.
2. I saw another answer on here the other day, and the mom put a link of some cloth diapers that looked pretty easy. We always used disposables. Search similar questions and that link should come up. :) Congrats on your baby.
3. I just think Disposables are much easier.....you have to buy the extra laundry soap and bleach to clean them and when you add up that and the time will take to clean them it just make throw aways seem that much more simple....
4. not only are they cheaper, but,well, its actually a lot healthier for the baby because it doesent have dioxin, a toxic chemical. nowadays, though, you can get dioxin free diapers from health food stores such as whole foods. cloth diapers are a lilttle harder to clean, but you can put them in the washing machine. they are also smellier. ive known people who use them and theyve enjoyed the experience. its up to you. try it,and if you dont like it you can always switch.
5. I use both. You can get nappy/diaper liners to put inside your cloth diapers to make the poop easier to clean. I had to use disposable for the first couple of months because my son was so little, but once he grew (i was at home with him full time) I found it just as easy to use the cloth. Yes they do take a little more time, but it was alot cheaper for me. I stocked up on the nappysan and things while I was pregnant so there wasnt the extra expense for a couple of months. I still use cloth and he is 10months , i do every now and again go back to disposable because he gets nappy rash really easily and the disposable helps draw the moisture away alot quicker. So that is another thing to keep in mind you will need to change your baby a little more when they have cloth. Hope this helps you make your choice.
6. I think they're fine if you're willing to do the work involved with them. It's certainly more work and messier than disposable diapers. My twins are in disposables and I don't find them terribly expensive. If you use cloth, make sure you get the really good diaper service quality ones, or better yet use Kushies. They are a cloth sposie hybrid. They have a flushable pad inside that you can use to flush away the poop and it leaves the cloth diaper itself much cleaner and easier to manage. I'd get them but they were an expensive investment with twins and my husband was against the idea so that did it for that idea.
7. I grew up in the fifties and sixties. My mother had nine kids. For a while she did use a diaper service, but it got too expensive. She, for a long time, washed the diapers in the washer in the basement. No matter what, the basement stunk like you know what. And the thought of washing regular clothes in the same washer was not good. The problem went away after the last child. You would have to set up a definite routine to wash your own. Good luck.
8. I was given a diaper service as a shower gift and I hated it! I had all the fancy extras and diaper covers and always had a problem with them. It just depends on you.
9. My mom used them... I remember changing my little brother and sister using them. If you have a diaper pail with a lid to keep the soiled ones in, it wont be any smellier than throwing disposable ones in the trash! It depends on if you feel like you can keep up with the laundry.... You could always use both! ADD- I guess it depends on where you live, but I always spent $45 a month on diapers and wipes-- but I used the cheapest wipes, and had coupons for Huggies or Pampers.
10. It's good that you are thinking ahead and planning for expenses. I used cloth diapers for as long as I could stand it but in the long run, the disposables worked out better. We were really poor and I thought I could save money too by using cloth. But here is what I learned - Cloth diapers are expensive (I had no baby shower) and you have to buy at least 3 packs. They used to come in 10 packs but that was a long time ago (my 'baby' is 22) and they might be packaged with more in them. Tiny babies pee/poo A LOT and you might not feel like washing diapers all the time. Especially if you don't have your own washer or dryer and have to pay - that's expensive. Pluse the extra soap, bleach and fabric softners. Dirty poo diapers need to be rinsed in the toilet preferably and stored in some kind of solution of your choice until you wash them. A bleach/water mixture or soap and water. (Yes, I 'lost' a few diapers this way and crossed my fingers that they didn't clog the sewer). You have to use plastic pants over the cloth diapers. They grow out of these fast and these are not real cheap either. I used to wash my diapers by themselves in really hot water and not with other clothes so it was a seperate load and extra quarters. In conclusion I discovered disposables were better. They leak less and are more portable. You can also find really good coupons and save money. I also found less problems with diaper rash because they seem to breathe better and wick the pee away from the baby's butt rather than soaking it in. I also used the cheap store brands and they were fine.
11. We used disposable for the first couple weeks with our second baby. Until she was big enough to fit into the cloth diapers we bought. I do cloth diapers and its not that hard. I use the kissaluv fitted diapers. http://www.kissaluvs.com/fitted-diapers.html with gDiaper Wraps. http://www.gdiapers.com/ What I do is scoop the poop into the toilet and then drop them into a regular laundry basket. After her first month she only pooped every 2-3 days anyway so most of the diapers are just wet ones. I do a load of laundry a day. I use Arm& Hammer detergent. Whatever clothes I wash I include the days diapers with them as well. Its not really that many. For going out I use one of those cheap drawstring backpacks to put dirty and wet diapers into. They're not really that more difficult for others to use than disposables. They just put them on and put them in the drawstring backpack.
12. I like the ones I have, I find them easy enough. Anything solid I shake into the toilet, the washer takes care of the rest. Newborn poop, if breastfed can just go straight into the washer, ,so I've heard. (We started using cloth when my daughter was 7 months old.) I like pocket diapers, my favorite is Bum Genius 3.0 because its adjustable and can be used through potty training. It also keeps her remarkably dry. They are a bit pricier than your standard prefolds, but just as easy as disposable. I wash mine every night, a cycle on cold with detergent, a cycle on hot without detergent and an extra rinse to make sure all the detergent is out, then I just throw them in the drier. Usually I'm watching TV or messing around on the computer while they wash, I just get up every so often to change the dial to rinse or whatever. It's not a hassle at all. We do use disposables when we go out, and I use them at night if she has a rash and I want to use diaper cream because you cant use regular cream in the cloth diapers. But even if you use cloth part time, it will save you money. Here is a good site to look at http://www.cottonbabies.com/. Also if you want to try a sample pack to see how you like using cloth and to try a variety Jillians Drawers is a good site, where you can try cloth for 10$. http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/cdcm.html there is the link for that one. Good Luck!!!
13. Cloth diapers are great when you don't have any money to buy disposables, but also time consuming and sometimes they can be kinda gross. At least with disposables you don't have to worry about dumping the poop in the potty or anything, u just throw it all out. We almost went with cloth diapers but I didn't have the time to clean diapers all the time, or the money to buy all the laundry soap and stuff so we found it just as easy to get disposables.