This question is for all the moms that use cloth diapers. I am pregnant with my third child and trying to cut corners. My second child I made baby food which I believe saved us some money and now I thinking of using cloth diapers for this child. Please give the pros and cons of cloth diapers and are you really saving money even after using the washer and dryer more often. Thank you for your opinions.
I agree with the other moms that cloth diapers can add up in energy costs when you have to wash them. Kroger's carries the FMV brand diapers which run around $5.88 per pack plus tax--these diapers work great and I've never had a problem with accidents. They may cost more now since I haven't bought them in a while, but they were always cheaper and a good diaper.
MC
I have twin boys and we cloth diapered them since birth. I really liked cloth diapering. It definitely saved us money in the long run. I purchased my AIO Cloth diapers new and then sold them used online when the boys grew out of them, and it only ended up costing me about $6 per diaper, which is a huge savings to what I would have spent in diapers per week. I would launder the diapers every 2-3 days and it only took one load to run them through. And because they can feel the wetness, children tend to be potty trained really early. I have boys and they were out of diapers by 18 months. Like I said, I liked it and I feel it was a huge money saver. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
I used cloth diapers with both of my boys and am very glad that I did.
Yes, it uses energy to wash cloth diapers, but the research shows that it uses LESS energy to wash cloth diapers than it does to manufacture and deliver disposable diapers to the store, not to mention the costs of your gas to get there.
Why I love cloth?
1. There is nothing cuter than a baby in a cotton cloth diaper with some cute little print on it, as opposed to sitting in a paper or plastic diaper.
2. Some studies are sketchy about the safety of the absorbent gel used in modern day disposable diapers.
3. Some studies suggest that the plastic and gels used in disposable diapers heat a boys testicles too high and may contribute to fertility issues when the child is older.
4. Cloth diapered babies are easier to potty train because they know what it feels like to be wet.
5. I think that they would be more comfortable, I mean imagine how it feels for you to be in a soft pair of new cotton underwear, as opposed to a big maxi pad!
The laundry is not that bad, especially if you breastfeed your baby. The BM's of breastfed babies do not smell as bad as formula fed babies and is easier to clean up, making the first few months of cleaning much easier. In the beginning, you may be doing an extra load of laundry every two days, depending upon how many diapers you have. When they get older and go less, it will be fewer.
We bought most of our diapers online on ebay, which helped saved a ton! We also got some from friends whose older kids had outgrown their cloth diapers.
Yes, there are those wonderful all in one diapers, I have a few, but they are pretty expensive. If you really want to do it cheap, you can start with some good prefolds (the flat diapers). They don't need to be pinned anymore, you can buy diaper covers that you just fold a prefold into, snap it up and go.
I would make sure that you get good covers, they make all the difference when it comes to leakage and different sized and shaped babies do better with different covers.
If you or someone you know knits, you can some wonderful wool soakers made. Wool soakers are absolutely wonderful for cloth diapering as the wool is breathable (good for baby skin), yet can absorb over 300 times its weight in liquid, this means dry nights.
I could go on, but am tired. If you decide to use cloth or are interested in hearing more, or have specific questions, you can email me.
I didn't personally get a lot of savings out of cloth diapers, esp because my time was taken up with laundry so much more. My daughter's bum was very small and there was so much leakage, no matter what I tried so it was constant laundry, clothes, blankets, car seat covers, etc. I finally switched to doing cloth diapers at home, and disposables when we went out and eventually just went to disposables. I just got this email for a new service in the area:
Rebecca Barry
Dirty Deeds Diaper Service
Good for your baby. Good for the planet. Good for you.
This might save money, and time!
I love cloth diapering. There are lots of ways to save money doing it too. You can buy used diapers, you can make your own, or you can invest in new. The savings when you invest in new is when you reuse for multiple children. Or if you get a good deal. I've been given some of my stash, I made some of them, and I've bought some. However saving money is not my biggest reason for cloth diapering, though I have saved money by far. My biggest reason is the fact that it is unknown how long disposable diapers take to decompose but the best educated guess is more than 200 years, figuring that a child goes though thousands of diapers by the time they're 2 1/2, we are really filling the landfills and our children are going to be living with the consequences of that for a long, long time. Also cloth diapers don't contain Dioxin like disposable diapers do, its only a trace amount, but Dioxin is thought to cause cancer...no thanks, I don't want that against my daughter's skin!
Good luck with your decision!
Hi K.! I use both cloth and disposable diapers with my 18 month old daughter. Cloth diapers are so expensive to get started. You want to start out with at least a couple dozen, and even then you will be washing often. At least when you baby is newborn. I used disposables for the first few months to cut down on all the washing in the beginning when you are trying to get into your routine. And, even though cloth diapers are better for the environment, they do need to be changed more often, at least with my little girl. She is a heavy soaker and always seemed to leak through if I didn't watch it. I do however like the fact that the diapers I have invested in I can keep for ever, they come in cute colors, and there are so many different brands and types to choose from which makes them user friendly for almost anyone. I use Fuzzy Bunz, which need diaper insert. And we love them, They have adjustable snap fasteners and are really easy to use. And as far as the water/electric bills are concerned, I didn't really notice a difference. I do laundry nearly everyday anyways, so it wasn't really an extra expense.
Good Luck! R., Ferndale
You may save money on the shopping bill but you'd then spend it in time and utilities. Cloth diapers are really really gross to clean and very time consuming. I don't use name brand diapers. I have found the target brand to work very well. I only get the 30 pack of size 4 which is only about $6.(Walmart's parents choice brand and white cloud brand are ok too) The larger packs are priced better but I keep thinking it's going to be my last pack :-) Good Luck with whatever you decide to do!!
I really doubt you save money by using cloth dipaers. The good cloth diapers are expensive to buy. They come in several sizes so you would have to buy them in different sizes. The cost of laundry soap and water and electricity all add up.
I think the cheapest way to buy diapers is on sale with a coupon. Almost every week there is some store with diapers on sale. The cheapest price is usually $8 for a jumbo pack of name brand diapes. If you have acoupon then they are only 7... MY daughter is almost 2 and she only uses 4 or 5 diapers a day. but if she was in cloth - we would use more diapers cause wet cloth is wet and soggy. The disposables still feel dry even when theyare wet...
I have been using cloth diapers for over a year. It is better for your baby and the environment. Washing them is pretty easy. Takes less time than finding the store with the disposables on sale and making a trip to buy them. I have saved a lot of money. We haven't noticed any difference in the utility bills. Cloth diapers can be resold when your child outgrows them or saved for future children. The least expensive route is prefolds. Prefolds only cost about $1.50-2.50 per diaper. Or if you want something a bit easier, there are one-size diapers. My son is 21-months old and he is already learning to use the potty - so it's true that cloth-babies potty learn earlier.
Here is a local cloth diaper retailer:
http://www.luvingmammadiapers.com/
For used cloth diapers:
Seems to me like cloth diapers are getting a bad rap here! Like everything, cloth diapers need a little getting used to. While you will spend more time cleaning and washing diapers if you use cloth, they are better for the environment and you don't have to go rushing to the store when you run out because you have the ability to "make" more right at home. My best friend used cloth diapers 90% of the time after her daughter was born; she used disposables when they went on long outings. When a diaper got soiled, she dumped the stuff into the clean toilet and swished only that area of the diaper in the water. Then she put the diaper into a covered bucket filled with a vinegar and water mix (not too full, in case you accidentally kick it or something), and lined with a mesh lingerie bag. Once a day during those newborn days, she dumped the vinegar water into the toilet and flushed, then carted the bucket down to the laundry.
She got her entire supply of cloth diapers and small washcloths (wipes) from a woman on Craigslist.com for $150. The whole purchase included sizes small, medium, and large. You can probably find a similar "kit" for less than $300 at Craigslist.com, as well as a supportive friend in the process! $300 seems like a lot now, but if you figure out how much diapers cost in the long run, it pales in comparison.
Cloth diapers are a commitment, and aren't always convenient, but you CAN get used to them and the long-term cost for your pocket and environment is cheaper than disposable diapers.
Good luck!
