Cloth Diapering...If I Can Do It, You Can Do It!!

When my sister-in-law (SIL), Deana asked me if I was going to use cloth diapers when I had my first baby, I immediately thought, "No way Hose'!" I couldn't see working full-time and trying to keep up with the rigors of cloth diapering. My SIL had a cloth diapering business at the time, and to her credit, made beautifully tailored and fitted diapers, so to be polite I said, "Well, we'll try it and see if we like it." So, almost immediately she went to sewing the new baby lots of lovely diapers, as well as purchasing some of her favorite brands from her online SAHM and WAHM network. I mentioned in a previous blog that I had 7 baby showers, so I had diapers out the whazoo! But I gladly accepted the cloth diapers from Deana. After all, they WERE totally adorable!

I've never claimed to be especially domestic, I'm not a tree hugging, carbon footprint calculating greenie, and I'm not all concerned about the chemicals in disposable diapers...etc. etc. So when it came right down to it, I used those diapers because I couldn't afford not to! You see, I lost my job as a teacher, and could not find another one (a year later, still haven't!). So, when the disposables from all those baby showers ran out, we just couldn't afford to go out and buy diapers all the time. So, I took the plunge and committed to using them. And ya know what, they aren't bad! And I actually derive a lot of strange satisfaction from using them. Maybe I DO like knowing that I'm not throwing away tons of diapers into the landfills, and maybe I do like that my baby's not exposed to those chemicals 24 hours a day. The biggest reason of all, I believe, is that I do like being domestic! One of my very favorite things is getting those freshly washed diapers out of the dryer and snapping the little snaps, and folding them into nice neat piles! It truely is the little things ya'll!

So that's why I say, if I can do it, anyone can. Here's how I use my diapers.

First of all, I don't obsess! I use disposables at night because they pull moisture away from the baby and she doesn't wake up as much as she would with a cloth diaper. I also take disposables with us to church for the nursery. They certainly don't want to handle GG's wet or soiled diapers. And yes, they are wet and do get soiled. But don't sweat it! Your hands are washable, and the poop comes out! If there is poopoo in the diaper, then I just dump it in the toilet and flush...easy! I don't use a wet pail method (where you keep the diapers in a pail of water until you wash them), I just keep them in a wicker basket with a lid until I wash. And there's no smell in the house if you're wondering. I wash the diapers every other day. First I put them through a cold rinse, then a hot wash. I use laundry detergent that I make myself (I'll share the recipe in another post) that is gentle on GG's sensitive skin. Then I fold them as they come out of the dryer and there you go...easy! Really ya'll, it is! Now, if I were working, I still don't know if it'd be for me. I mostly worry about how to handle it with a babysitter or daycare because others may have an aversion to handling wet diapers, but I believe it would be doable.

And these aren't your grandma's cloth diapers! There's no pinning and very little, if any leaking. AIO's (all in ones) have a cover sewn right onto the diaper, and they are very convenient. I have several of those. But for the most part, I have regular, fitted cloth diapers that look just like a disposable, but a little more chic (if you can imagine a diaper being chic!). They either have velcro closures, or snaps, and some have extra "pad" like liners that snap in for extra absorbancy. The covers for them are very lightweight and velcro too.

My dear SIL has kept me stocked with new, and some of her children's used diapers. I haven't bought a single one! They have been a Godsend during these tough times. I thank God for her and her genorosity. And I encourage you to try them out. Just get a few and try them. If it isn't a great fit for your family, then just pass them on to someone else. But you might be surprised at how easy they are to live with!

This is an AIO from a company called "Fuzzibunz." I really like this brand a lot. See the snaps are adjustable so they fit snug!

And pics of GG playing in her comfy, hot pink diaper!

Below are pics of most of the diapers I have. Some are stuffed in diaper bags or in the laundry. But all in all, I have about 40 diapers.

These AIO's are embroidered...so cute.

These are all of my AIO's (all in ones).

These are some of the liners. I told you they look like pads! They're soft and pretty lightweight. Some of the cloth diapers are pretty thin, so they need a little extra padding sometimes.

Here's one with an Olivia the pig print

My SIL hand dyed this one...it's very soft.

My DH loves sushi, so she made him a diaper with a sushi print...I know weird, but cute!

Here are some of my covers. You can use the same cover with several diapers a day, so you don't need as many.

So here are my diapers all laid out. What a blessing!