I haven't found any disposables I actually like. Huggies Supreme seem plush, but overall the shape isn't working for Dean anymore. Huggies Snug and Dry were not plush and STUNK of chemicals. I've long since written off Pampers. Luvs were probably the worst in leakage I've tried, plus they STINK of baby perfuminess. Costco Kirtland were ok, but you have to buy in such large quantities I'm not a fan. Plus they seemed to run a little small when I tried them. I haven't tried Wal-mart or Target brands.
After seeing these bumgenius diapers on a friend's blog, I've been contemplating using cloth diapers for a couple months now, but the idea of it is really intimidating. It seems like it will be difficult, gross, initially pricey (especially if you get the all-in-one diapers so you don't need diaper covers), time consuming with wash etc. Plus, there are so many kinds I don't want to just throw money down on one type and hope that they work well. (I mean, just think of the Pampers/Huggies competition. Some people love one and hate the other and visa versa.) I really wish that regular stores carried good cloth diapers (not the gerber pre-folds I use as burp rags) so I could look at them up close, compare them, see how the inserts work, see how it all fits together, etc. I hate shopping online because it seems like everything I get is not what I envisioned.
While I was searching this tonight, I found that you can do cloth trials for $10-$20. They send you an assortment of clean (but used) cloth diapers. You put down a deposit of around $100. You keep them for about 2-3 weeks, after which you can either keep them for the deposit price, or send them back and they refund your deposit minus the price to "rent" (the $10-$20).
I also really want to buy a cloth swim diaper since I feel swim diapers are such a waste of money.
Any thoughts on this? Do you think it's gross to use clean, used cloth diapers? Am I crazy for even thinking of switching? If you use cloth, what do you swear by?
12 comments:
I think that sounds like a great idea. If the diapers were well cleaned, I wouldn't have a problem trying them out. I would actually really like to switch to cloth, and I've heard a lot of good things about bumgenius diapers. But my husband does a lot of the childcare and he's not into cloth diapering, plus we're moving into an apartment without our own washing machine. With those two issues I don't think we'll be cloth diapering Little Dude. I hope to do it with the next baby, but probably not during the first few months since they go through so many diapers and since you're so busy anyways.
I would stick them out in the sun to sterilize them just for good measure, but, yes - there are a ton of people who buy cloth diapers used and resell them if they don't like them.
I think cloth is so worth the washing especially when they're newborn because they're not on solids so you can just chuck them straight into the wash. I loved the feeling of changing his diaper and not worrying that he might poo on it before I finished changing him (I remember going through 3 diapers in one change because the poo kept coming)! I also liked how the plastic pants contained the blowouts better than disposables (I like my dappis and snappis with chinese prefolds).
I know you're past that stage and it really is intimidating. I think I waited about 6 months after deciding I wanted to do cloth before I actually bought mine. A friend in our ward borrowed some to try out (from another sister in the ward) before buying her own.
As far as the fit of diapers, you can go to www.diaperpin.com and look under bumgenius or whatever diaper you're interested in and look in the ratings. Sometimes moms will say, "my babe has skinny thighs and these did NOT fit her well (leaked lots)," or "my son has chubby legs and these left marks from being too tight."etc...
I think you are very brave for even wanting to try cloth diapers. After some of the super stinky diapers I've changed I can't even imagine having to clean up the baby AND the diaper.
Suffice it to say, I think I'll stick to my Huggies. But I don't think that used but clean diapers are gross. They will be used but clean the second time Dean uses them anyway.
Good Luck!
He really only poos once or twice in a day now, and that's usually in the morning right when he wakes up. For that reason I'd probably put him in a disposable to sleep. Dirty diapers really don't phase me much. I've had to clean up so many blow outs I don't think it'll be that big of a deal to clean diapers.
Hi - I know you don't know me, I stumbled across your blog looking for another blog and thought I would answer your question of cloth vs. plastic. I am a SAHM just like you with a 5 1/2 month old baby girl. I started doing cloth diapers when Aurelia was 6 weeks old and swear by it ever since. I do the regular chinese pre folds with diaper cover and snappi. It's cheaper than buying AIO and I can store all my stuff in one drawer. I haven't had any blow outs or major issues. Cleaning them is a breeze and I still use a plastic one for night time.
Buying used is a good way to find out if you like them, and I know moms who do do cloth diaper clean their diapers super well so you shouldn't be too worried about that.
If you have any other questions I would love to tell you more.
Hope you're not weirded out that I am replying as a stranger.
Celia, I have a friend who researched cloth diapers as well. She read a TON of material about all different brands, bought several different brands, used, online, tried them out and after several months of that converted to bumgenius. She loves them and swears by them. What do I know though, I've never tried. But, all of her sisters (4 of them) also converted to bumgenius as well. She says the great thing about them is that the stink always comes out, and it's a 1 size fits all. She actually won a picture contest displaying this. She took a picture of her children and her neices and nephews--all different ages, new to 3 years old--showing that it actually does fit each age. Anyway, there's my 2 cents. If I were to convert I'd do bumgenius just b/c I witnessed my friends trials with several other diapers. Good luck! :)
b-, i'm not weirded out at all by your replying. I appreciate it. The Chinese pre-folds probably scare me the most since they're least like a "regular" diaper. I wish I had friends around who did cloth so I could observe and learn first hand!
wow. good luck. that's all i can say. i lovingly look at my baby's giant box of huggies and am ever grateful that i don't live in my mom's day and age where they didn't have a choice. i think i am too busy to even notice the chemicals and smells of my babies' diapers. if it doesn't leak or cause a rash (huggies supreme/pampers cruisers for me), i am happy enough. but good for you for really finding out what you want and what fits your needs the best.
I have zero advice. Right now I'm much too chicken to try cloth diapers, but the idea sounds good to me! Once you become an expert on them maybe you can give me the low down and I'll get brave and try them with the next baby. :)
Oh yeah, and I don't think trying out used cloth diapers is weird. I'd probably wash them really really well the first time. But it's a good way to try it out.
by the way, i have read in several different places that babies who wear cloth diapers are much easier to potty train. so there's another reason to try them!
we have a cloth swim diaper for Andrew and it's AWESOME!!! It was on sale for $3 or so and since we swim every day, I don't have to buy those $6-$7 packages every two weeks for the disposables. PLUS, they are elastic at all openings so they would really keep poop inside the diaper (haven't had that happen yet). I don't think the disposables work that well in that regard.
I've decided to do the cloth trial, but I'm going to wait until we get back from our reunion in Snowflake.
So, I'll give you all an update on it when I actually start it (which will be the beginning of August).
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