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The first optional, but highly recommended component of a good cloth diapering system is a diaper liner.  This is one of the best-kept secrets in the already kept-secret world of cloth diapering!  One of the yucky parts of cloth diapering is rinsing those soiled diapers.  Who wants to do that?  And then your nice new diapers get all stained and ugly looking.  Well, in this case, technology has brought a blessing.  Diapering "experts" have discovered that micro-fleece has some really great properties.  Fleece is moisture-resistant.  So a micro-fleece liner allows moisture through to the cloth diaper and leaves an almost dry layer next to baby’s delicate skin.  This dramatically reduces the chances of diaper rash (we haven’t had one yet)! 

While fleece allows moisture through, it doesn't allow everything else through.  So you don’t have to dunk and swoosh those cloth diapers!    And, because of the way it is made, fleece rinses off very easily and is stain resistant.  This means that while your baby has soft soiled diapers you don’t even need to rinse the liners.  You can literally throw them in the washer, soil and all, and they come out completely clean.  I didn’t think this was possible and rinsed them all until my sister-in-law threw in a batch I hadn’t rinsed yet and they came out just as clean as ever.  Once your baby is producing more solid waste it can be shaken off into the toilet and the liner will still not need rinsing.  If you would still rather rinse, there are a couple different ways to do it now so that you don’t have to get your hands in the dirty diapers.

The best part about fleece liners is that you can make them yourself without sewing a single stitch.  Just get a couple yards of micro fleece (the kind that’s not really fuzzy) at the fabric store and cut them out.  Fleece doesn’t fray so you don’t have to finish the edges.  I cut them to the size of the diapers and then cut out a half-circle leg inset in the center of each side.  You don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.  Some people prefer to cut the fleece liners just to the size of the diaper insert they are using, so it would be about 15"x 4".  So easy!  I got 28 liners out of 2 yards of fleece.  The fabric will cost you about $15 if you pay full price and don’t find it on sale.  Again, this expense will not have to be repeated as the liners will last indefinitely.  And to save more, you can often find fleece blankets or other fleece items at the thrift store that can be cut down to make your liners.

The second optional diapering component is a diaper doubler.  This will increase the absorbency of your diapers while not causing the bulk --- and need for additional diapers --- that double diapering would create.  If you have a heavy wetter, and for night-time use, you may need some extra support.  Most places that sell diapers also sell diaper doublers.  But there’s really no need for that additional expense.  I have found that a wash cloth makes a perfect diaper doubler.  I just fold one into my diapers.  If you weren’t using a fleece liner you would probably want to make sure the wash cloth is not against baby’s skin since the terry cloth is a little rough.  I can get 18 wash cloths for $5 at my local low-price store so the expense is practically negligible.  However, here again, you can be creative.  If you don’t have access to inexpensive wash clothes you can use any absorbent material.  How about cutting down old bath towels that are no longer suitable for bathing?  You can also cut down receiving blankets to a size that can be folded into a diaper.  Or you could use old sweat shirts as long as they are made from 100% cotton.

While you’re at it, if you’re giving cloth diapers a try, why not use cloth wipes?  I got a bunch of those cheap wash cloths for this as well.  Another thing that makes just about a perfect cloth wipe is a baby wash cloth.  I don’t like to use them for bathing the baby because they are so small.  But they are perfect for wipes.  Baby wash cloths are not cheap but if you’ve been given a bunch they would be great for this use.  If you’re so inclined, you can cut full-sized wash cloths in half and serge the edges.  One wash cloth is way bigger than is needed for most jobs.  As with diaper doublers, you could also use the same recycled materials to make baby wipes.

To use cloth wipes, I keep a squirt-top water bottle filled with plain water by my diapers and wipes.  As I need a wipe, I just squirt enough water on a wash cloth to moisten it.  Then the wipe goes in the pail with the diapers.

What about convenience?  Personally, I don’t feel like these cloth diapers are inconvenient.  Throwing in an extra load of laundry each day is no big deal --- especially since it’s a load I don’t have to fold (if I don’t want to), iron or put on a hanger!  And those late-night emergencies are much less hassle with cloth diapers.  Tonight, I realized at 11 p.m. that the cat (who is very jealous of baby) had baptized the pile of clean diapers.  I only had three clean ones left.  So I threw the whole pile in the washer, nursed the baby, got her ready for bed and put her down --- then put the diapers in the dryer for a quick dry and am on the way to bed.  If I were using disposables and discovered I’d just used the last one at 11 p.m. I’d have to get dressed, put on make-up (well, I would!), and go out in the foul weather --- we’re under a tornado watch until 5 a.m.  All in all, it would take me the same length of time but be more trouble.  Now, that’s inconvenient!

So, what is the bottom-line on cost?  The cheapest disposable diapers around here are about $6 per package, for a package that will last for one week.  These aren’t the best diapers; they are the cheapest cheapos.  Over the course of 2 ½ years, those cheap disposables would cost me $650, plus the cost of wipes.  A cloth diapering system using 20 hemp diapers would cost about $150 plus shipping (varies somewhat depending on whether you use recycled materials for doublers/wipes and whether you have to use more costly covers when baby is bigger).  THEN, the whole system can be reused with another child at no additional cost whatsoever.

What if that initial outlay is hard to bear?  Here are a few ideas.  Start collecting over the course of your pregnancy.  Get the liner fleece one month, wash cloths another month, newborn diaper covers another month, and small covers still another month.  You can acquire additional sizes of covers as needed after baby is born.  That leaves only the actual diapers.  You can get these a little at a time, too, if you want.  You can use the recycled materials for liners and doublers.  You can even make your own diapers and save some more (I can get you information about finding the fabric).  They are very easy to make, especially if you have a serger.  Or consider making it a request for your baby shower, if you are having one.  I asked for a money tree to be able to buy diapering supplies.  If you have family or friends who are internet-smart you can even tell them where to find the diapering supplies you want.

If you would like more information about where to find cloth diapering supplies or about how to use them, contact me using our Contact Page and I’ll get you the information you need.

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