Cloth Diapering: Why & How

I would have never even had an idea or notion of cloth diapering if it hadn't been for Erin at Growing a Foosa. I followed her all throughout her pregnancy and have watched her little foosa grow since then. She provided a great amount of research and personal experience in her cloth diapering section of her blog. With her help, I decided to really consider cloth diapering.

Warning: This is going to be lengthy! 

After reading a lot of positive reviews on a lot of different websites, I started to see and truly understand the vast amount of pros associated with using cloth diapers. The obvious one, of course, is the environment. I can and will admit that I do nothing to save our environment. Nothing.at.all. I don't (for the most part) conserve energy, gas, or other resources, and I don't recycle. Shameful, I know, but I just don't. I have always wanted to start, but haven't done so yet. Perhaps I will get my butt in gear this summer and figure out a recycling system that works well for us. Even if it's just recycling aluminum cans and milk jugs. Every little thing helps, right?

Did you know that you are, theoretically, supposed to dispose of a soiled diaper by flushing the feces down the toilet before throwing the diaper away? Human waste is a bio-hazard as it can leach into the soil and contaminate our ground water. This could potentially cause disease. I'm sure it's unlikely but I'm not going to contribute to the possibility.

Babies who are cloth diapered very rarely get diaper rash, can have a lower risk of contracting asthma, and potty train, on average, a year sooner than disposable-wearing babies/children.

One thing I wasn't sure about was the price to get started. At first glance, the price of cloth diapering seems steep, but after calculating everything, it's incredible how much we are going to save.

So what's needed to get started?
a baby. DUH!
diapers.
somewhere to put said diapers once soiled.
washing machine/drying rack.
cloth diaper friendly products.

There are so many different types of cloth diapers. Prefolds, flats, fitteds, pockets, all-in-ones, etc. Prefolds, flats, and fitteds require a protective cover. They are the more 'economical way' of cloth diapering. Pocket and all-in-one diapers require less 'work'. They are most like a disposable diaper. You just slap those suckers on and you're ready to go. As baby gets older, you may have to purchase/use doublers, which help with absorbancy. You can also purchase flushable liners that go in the diaper. These are great once baby starts producing solid poops. All you do is lay it in your diaper, and lift it out and flush when they have a bowel movement. This is a great alternative to the dreaded "poop scraping" or "toilet swishing" your diapers. They also have special diaper sprayers that attach to your toilet. They are a little pricey and I've read mixed reviews about them. I have decided to go the liner route myself. 

If you cloth diaper, then you are going to need something to store your soiled diapers in. You can use a trash can with a liner or use a hanging wetbag. I chose to use hanging wetbags. I also purchased some solution to spray on them so they won't stink while hanging in the babes room. You will also need a smaller wetbag for the diaper bag.

A dying rack is helpful but not a necessity. You will have to hang a lot of your diapers to dry as the dryer may damage them (depending on which ones you use). Not to mention, putting your diapers in the sun will help eliminate any stains that may accumulate.

Using cloth diaper friendly products will help your diapers hold up over time and will reduce your need to strip them frequently. Stripping removes the stains, oils, odors, and/or minerals that build up over time. Using a safe detergents and baby bottom creams are important for maintaining the integrity of your diapers. I have made the decision to use Allens Naturally Detergent for laundering and Coconut oil for Claire's bum.

You can see what my stash includes here. I also plan on using cloth wipes. They sell "cloth wipes" but they are over priced wash cloths in my opinion. Plus, they don't seem to have very good reviews, especially for the price. I'm going to purchase some wash cloths and use them along with a squirt bottle with water in it. Once again, they make a special cleansing spray, but it's really not necessary to purchase it. I purchased a special wetbag for on the go. All you need to do is moisten some wash cloths before you go, throw them in the wetbag and you're set!

Want to read more? Here are some informative websites.
http://www.realdiaperassociation.org/diaperfacts.php
http://www.diaperdecisions.com/pages/cost_of_cloth_diapers.php
http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/benefits-cloth-diapers-2459.html

Also, check out this series of youtube videos. They helped me understand the difference between all the types of diapers.

I purchase all of my cloth goodies from either Kelly's Closet, or Cottonbabies.

Have questions? Let me know! I'd be happy to help :)