Titus 2 Men And Women

[NOTE:  This information was written when my daughter was a baby in 2002.  The prices and information included reflect that time frame.] 

Just a generation ago, disposable diapers hadn’t been invented.  Now, we accept disposable diapering as a way of life.  And, I have to agree, once you’ve used disposable diapers, those old cloth diapers are just too much work for lousy results.  They are bulky, they leak, they’re hard to clean and the ones available in stores these days wear out fast so you have to keep buying new ones.  That was my experience with my oldest boys, at any rate.  I tried cloth diapering to save money and gave up because of all those negatives.

But when we recently discovered that we were going to be returning to diaper-days, I bumped across some information that ultimately convinced me to give cloth diapering another chance.  In the first place, there just wasn’t any room in our budget to add another $25-$50 per month to our budget for disposable diapers.  And I discovered that those negatives are no longer a necessary part of cloth diapering.

If you go to any baby store, you will find cloth diapers and diaper covers.  Baby stores stock those Birdseye flats and cotton pre-folds that our mothers used (though, not quite as well-made!)  And there are plastic pants, as well as fancier velcro-closure diaper covers.  If you’ve ever used any of these products, you may have been less than pleased.  They are generally not well made and the "nicer" stuff is expensive, then still doesn’t last well with continuous use.

I discovered, however, that there is a whole different world of cloth diapering!  In the past 10-15 years, moms who are committed to cloth diapering have made huge innovations and these diapering products aren’t available in local stores.  The advent of the internet has opened up a whole new way to find truly superior cloth diapers.  These moms have created cloth diapers that are as convenient as disposables, as absorbent as disposables, cheaper than disposables, leak-proof, easier to clean than the old cloth diapers, and, if you know where to look, you can get them even cheaper than cheap!  Through the internet anyone can also have access to diaper service quality diapering supplies.  After doing quite a bit of research, I opted for a low-priced diapering system that I absolutely love.  I gave up on cloth diapering twice before with my boys --- I wouldn’t use these if they didn’t really work.  These REALLY work!

A good cloth diapering system has several components.  The diaper and a diaper cover are essential.  Then you can also have a liner and doubler that are optional, but which I highly recommend.

For diapers, I learned that there are different qualities of diapers.  Remember those cotton pre-folds at the local baby store?  By shopping online, you can the very best Chinese pre-folds (CPFs) for about the same price as the ones at the local baby store --- or less.  Even though some of the diapers available at the store are called "diaper service quality" they still aren’t the same quality as what you can find online.  You can sometimes find Chinese pre-folds in online auctions.  What you want to look for is 4X8X4 Chinese pre-folds. The numbers refer to the numbers of layers of cotton in the diapers.  This is the best quality available and way better than anything you can buy in stores.  The cotton fabric used in true Chinese pre-folds is more absorbent than others, even other dipes with the same number of layers.  You can expect to pay about $2 per diaper.  You would probably need 2-3 dozen diapers for a cloth diapering system.  You might also want to start out with infant-sized diapers and then move up to the regular sized ones as your baby grows.  Or, you can use wash cloths as diaper inserts for newborns until they grow into the pre-folds --- yes, it really works!

The cotton pre-folds have just a couple drawbacks.  They are quite bulky.  And they do have to be changed more often than disposables.  But they are the least costly alternative and very high quality.  They will last through diapering 2 or 3 children before needing to be replaced. 

There are also some alternatives to traditional pre-folds that are not bulky and are more absorbent.  This is what I chose to use, even though it costs a little more per diaper.  And since you need less of them, the cost evens out.

Cloth diapering "experts" have found that hemp cotton is more absorbent than the cotton usually used for diapering, even than Chinese pre-folds.  Hemp cotton pre-folds are available now but they are usually expensive --- around $6 per diaper.  However, there are a couple groups who make hemp cotton diapers or diaper inserts that are not pre-folds.  These are not as costly as hemp pre-folds, plus they have the added benefit of not being as bulky.

The hemp diapers I use are made from two layers of hemp cotton jersey.  They are folded in thirds and used as a diaper "insert."  This creates a finished diaper that is almost as trim as a disposable and only needs to be changed as often as a disposable --- with every feeding or when soiled (as opposed to just wet).  Because they don’t need to be changed as often as CPFs, you could get by with 15 of these, if you’re willing to wash every day for the first few weeks.  I like having 20.  The hemp diapers I use are presently $3 apiece.

The second component of a good cloth diapering system is diaper covers.  Gone are the days of diaper pins and plastic pants!  Both options are still out there but they aren’t necessary.  My favorite diaper cover fabric is PUL (poly-urethane laminate).  It is a lightweight breathable fabric that is moisture proof but not plastic-feeling.  The outside is a soft fabric.  The covers I decided on combine the moisture-proof feature of PUL with double leg-gussets and a velcro-like closure.  The double leg-gussets prevent leaks like nothing else.  So far, I have never had a dirty diaper leak --- even those colossal breast-fed ones! 

Quality diaper covers are available many places online for $6-$9 apiece.  BUT there’s an even better way to get them.  I was able to get factory seconds for $3 apiece.  You will need 4 per size (you may want to get 6 of the newborn ones since newborns often make messy diapers at every feeding) because you only need to wash the diaper cover when it gets soiled.  Some moms only change the cover once a day or when soiled.  Other moms prefer to rotate the covers at every diaper change to air them out but still only washing when soiled or every few days.

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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