Because I'm feeling very brave, I decided that today is the day. Today is the day we venture into cloth diapers. And yes, I do realize that there are many who are quite opinionated on this topic.
When I first started looking at doing cloth diapers, I was overwhelmed with all the options. There was so many choices that I almost just gave up. It was information overload. Way too many to choose from. Way too many opinions - one person loved it, another hated it. And because I was large and pregnant, I broke down crying and called my Mom.
She guided me back to the basics, assuring me that I didn't really need the $19 baby pink wool designer diaper covering. That's what I love about my Mom. She tells it like it is:
1. No one will see the diaper covers. They are under the baby's clothes all the time. Color doesn't matter. Pattern doesn't matter. Style doesn't matter. Function does.
2. No matter what it is, if you paid $2 or $19 for it, it WILL get poop on it. That's just the way it goes. Poo poo happens.
After she assured me that the decision wasn't supposed to be this complicated (perhaps hormones could have attributed to my over-reaction...), I went looking. And I found the perfect solution. This post is not to confuse you even further, if cloth-diapering is something your considering, but to guide you to a helpful solution that I found useful and easy.
Prefold diapers.
You put them on, just like a normal diaper, and fasten the sides up. Then, you put a cover over it.
I have purchased my cloth diapers from Green Mountain Diapers. (Disclaimer: I only recommend them because I love their product. I am not an affiliate and earn no commission for sales made through my site, man.) Here is what I love about prefolds: They are inexpensive. I purchased the Organic Cloth-eez Prefold diapers. Each diaper cost $2-$4 each depending on size. I purchased two dozen yellow edge (small) and they have lasted me from birth to now! G finally just grew out of them, so I purchased another two dozen red edge (medium). She will be able to be in this size for quite awhile.
Here's the other cool thing: the diapers hold up amazingly well. So even though G grew out of the small size, we still have a perfectly good stash for our next wee-one!
Leaks? Nope. Unless we put the diapers on wrong. Or she just has one of those poo(s) just blows out the side of the diaper (which let's be honest, happens no matter what kind of diaper the baby has on!)
So what about the cover you ask? Easy. Plastic covers. It's like a pair of plastic underwear that fit over the prefold diaper. At roughly $1 a piece, you can't beat the price. Plus, you can just wash and dry them with your diapers. No special treatment - no special detergents - no special drying procedures. And if they get stained and nasty, you can probably scrounge up enough change in your car to buy some more. They ain't the prettiest of diaper covers, but they are cheap. And they work well. We have four pairs and they have lasted us since G was born. Not a bad investment, I'd say.
Note: Yes, cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables. But somehow, I think we'll all survive. Once Georgia got to about eight or nine pounds, it wasn't really noticeable anymore.
So here we are. Let me demonstrate how easy this truly is:
Step One: Get a cute baby. Check.
Step Two: Place the babe on the diaper, fold up between their legs, and secure with a fastener. (These three-pronged stretchy things ROCK. No more pins. They are super quick and easy. If you are going to do prefolds, use these!) It can take a few days to get really comfortable putting the diapers on, but don't give up. Just keep trying till you get it right.
Step Three: Put the plastic cover on over the diaper.
Cloth diapers have only resulted in a wee more laundry for us. I do a load of diapers every other day. Not too bad. It takes about five minutes. And I have to touch poo sometimes. But I have seen, and touched, far worse things. I think I can handle the baby poo.
If you are thinking about cloth diapering, prefolds are a great way to go. I promise...it's not that complicated. Don't let the mass information and opinions all over the internet overwhelm you. Just stick to the basics and save money - that's the point, isn't it?
Based on my incredibly accurate calculations, we will be able to completely diaper Georgia, from start to finish, for about $200. Not too shabby. And the next baby? About $20 (for new plastic covers). The sturdy, high quality cloth diapers will be good to carry on their duty through a few more babes...
Guess what means we better get started on another!
Don't tell me husband I said that.
