The Story of Cloth.

Cloth2

Cloth diapers are a part of Anna's story. They are something I enjoy in my role as a mom. Mother's Day seems as good a day as any to document a bit about the how & why we use cloth in our family.

With Simon I used cloth when he was an older baby; for Anna I had the intention of starting from birth. I ended up waiting until she was about 9 weeks and we are now going strong. I waited until I was feeling in the mama-to-an-infant groove. I wanted to be feeling good emotionally and physically before I added this element into the mix. It's not that there's a lot more work, but it's just another thing to have to think about.

WHY CLOTH

People choose to cloth diaper for a variety of different reasons: economic, environmental, health, and some people just think they look cool. Are they really better for the environment? Some people claim they are and others respond that you end up using more water so it becomes a wash (no pun intended). 

Here's some of our reasons:

1. I like not having more trash than we need too.

2. I am one of those people that is totally fine with doing the laundry. Having another load every other day is not an issue for me. 

3. I like them. They are soft and colorful and she's not complaining. 

Diaper

SO MANY CHOICES

There are tons of options with cloth. TONS. It's not just pieces of cloth and pins anymore. Within each option there are even more choices like snaps or velcro, one size or S, M, L, colors, prints, etc.

We use a bunch of different kinds here in our house. Most recommendations I have read suggest trying out a few different styles to see what works best for you and your family. Depending on what day you ask me I will have a different favorite.

Here's a peek into what we currently use:

• Prefolds with covers (Chinese prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers): this is the most economical, un-fancy, wonderfully simple option. Step by step photos on how to use these can be found here. I just do a tri-fold and stick it inside the cover - no pins. We started out with the orange edge newborn prefolds and are still using those (she is just over 10 pounds). I will probably be ordering the yellow-edge infant prefolds soon. My favorite covers are Thirsties because of the leg gussets. I also like the Super Whisper Wrap with snaps.

• Pockets with covers: FuzziBunz & Bum Genius 3.0. These ones have a cover that you slip an insert into and then remove after it is wet or soiled. It is a one-time use before washing again (you don't pull out the insert and then put a dry one in). These go on just like a disposable - no folding required. We have the most of these in our rotation.

• Fitteds with covers: Good Mama. These ones go on like a regular diaper, are super soft, and then we place a cover (like the Thirsties above) on top. When they are soiled you remove the cover, put on another fitted diaper, and can reuse the cover if it is not wet or soiled. At lot of times if the cover is not soiled I will let it sit out to air out and use another cover for the next fitted diaper.

One-size all-in-ones from Bum Genius (these EASY but take longer to dry) : these go on just like a disposable diaper with no pockets to stuff or folding necessary. They tend to be more expensive than sized diapers and the jury is still out on wether they really last through the years that a baby needs to wear a diaper. I am really liking the snaps on the orgainc all-in-ones.

How do I choose which one to put on her? I don't have a rhyme or reason really. Chris prefers the all-in-ones so I usually leave those for him.

STORAGE & WASHING

On her changing table I have hung a bag with a clip (see photo at the top of this post) to hold the soiled diapers. I am washing every other day. We use Charlie's Soap for all our washing and do a cold pre-wash, a hot wash, and an extra rinse. When you first get the diapers (any style) you need to prep them before
using them. Most brands recommend a bunch (like four or more) washings
to get them ready + absorbent for use.

I hang dry the Thirstie's covers but dry the rest together on medium time dry for about an hour. Sometimes the one-size all in ones need more drying time.

Here's some of my favorite sites for purchasing diapers and reading tips & information (especially on how many diapers to begin with, etc):

• Green Mountain Diapers (the photos here are great for seeing what the diapers look like on babies at different ages)
• Jillian's Drawers (they have a great trial program available where you get a selection of popular styles)
• Kelly's Closet

I have also learned a ton from reading the cloth diaper message board at Mothering.com. Tons of experienced Mamas on there who are ready and willing to share information, trouble-shoot, and support.

For reviews & tips check out Diaper Pin

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Hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day!

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65 thoughts

  1. Sandy says…
    05/10/2009

    I don't think you need to respond to that! You are doing a great thing in a million different ways. There is always an exchange for reusing instead of tossing, and the reusing almost always comes out on top!
    You go! I think it is awesome that you posted about this part of your mothering, no matter how long your dryer is on.

    Reply 0 Replies
  2. AnnieM says…
    05/10/2009

    Hi Ali!
    Thanks for your informative post. I used cloth with baby #2 and baby #3...too chicken with #1! I loved them..used the cheapest option as I was a SAHM. (Chinese prefolds, pins and pull-on nylon pants.) Loved them...used them for 3 years with second child and 2.5 years with 3rd child and they were still great!
    One tip for wipes..I used cheap washcloths that I bought by the dozen from Costco...kept a pump carafe (the coffee kind) on the changing table filled with warm water...works like a charm, and stays warm for a LONG time.
    Simon and Anna are SO lucky to have you as their Mom :) Hope you had a wonderful day celebrating motherhood.

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  3. Kathy F says…
    05/10/2009

    Ali-
    Funny enough, I am a mom that uses disposible diapers. I think it was only because I have had this "fear" of cloth! :) After reading your post...I not only saw that cloth really isn't that time consuming or hard to use. If I ever have another baby (mine is gonna be 2 June 5th)I will be looking into these. :) Thanks, Ali! :)

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  4. Jamie says…
    05/10/2009

    Just wanted to mention that I use Sposoeasy made by Blue Penguin-they are wonderful! I have the ones with the snaps. Read the reviews at Diaper Pin. Green Mountain Diapers sells them, but I like to buy mine at Zoombaby-she seems to have the best price. They work so much better than disposables, no leaks or blowouts with runny breastfood poo. (Seems like the few times I have used disposables, I end up with a blowout every day) And they're all in ones, so they're really easy to manage. They are a little bit more expensive-but the sizing is done so that I think I will only have to have two different sizes....so I will be able to use them longer. This is my first baby and I decided to go with cloth after I read about your decision on your blog. Thanks for sharing with us! Also, if anyone says anything about using extra electricity or water, etc. when you use cloth...I find that I have way more baby clothes to wash when I use disposables because they leak so badly...And I don't buy the cheap brand of disposables, either. They are Huggies. So, I think it's equal either way-except that cloth seems to be better for my baby's skin.

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  5. Christina says…
    05/10/2009

    I've always wondered how you wash the diapers when she's gone, er, "number two." Do you toss them in the washing machine "as is," or do you have to do something like hose them off first?
    P.S. To Honey--I'm sure Ali does plenty of "green" things to make up for the long dryer time. Calm down.

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  6. Kara says…
    05/10/2009

    Ali, thanks for a great post! You make cloth diaper seem so accessible and not at all "better then other moms"! Sometimes I hate to tell people I use cloth because they feel like they have to justify their own disposables...But everyone should do what works for them.
    as for wipes, I sewed my own flannel ones...2 pieces of flannel in whatever size works for you. 15 or 20 is plenty for 1 baby. They are so soft and gentle. I especially appreciate them when my son has a rash. They seem so much more gentle.

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  7. Anna says…
    05/10/2009

    Love it. We are planning on having a child this year and with 2 of my sister in laws cloth diapering I've decided to try it out. We got together and sewed our own (Bum Genius style). They are so cute. I can't wait to have a baby to put in them. Just makes me feel better to think of putting that on them instead of a disposable.
    And using disposables until you hit a routine is great advice I'll have to think that over.

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  8. Shannon D says…
    05/10/2009

    Hey Ali,
    I know you said before you have a wipes warmer, I did read somewhere that they make a disposable wipes warmer and now one specifically for cloth ones, sorry not sure where I read it though.
    Good on you for using cloth, we are using them too and some days they need to go in the dryer even after being in the sun - and I live in Sunny Australia! Every little bit helps and I feel good about using them!

    Reply 0 Replies
  9. desiree fawn says…
    05/10/2009

    Great post -- I twittered about it!

    Reply 0 Replies
  10. Casey Maupin says…
    05/10/2009

    Happy Mother's Day! I used fuzzi bunz with my son when he was an older baby. He had diaper rash since his newborn days, and it just got worse as he aged. I tried everything and finally read that it might be the disposable diapers. This was enough to finally convince my husband to go cloth (I had been trying since my first was born). With cloth diapers and diaper cream without zinc, the rashes all went away!(and they were BAD) I also found them to be barely any more work then disposables, even when we were away from home! I love cloth!

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  11. Andrea Ford says…
    05/10/2009

    Good job Ali! We are past the nappy (NZ for diaper) stage now but we definitely think about the environment where ever we can in our living. I actually enjoy hanging washing on the line and really enjoying bringing it in, fresh and clean. I love laundry so much that we have one sofa dedicated to holding the pile there jsut to tempt someone to fold it-that's DH job and he might notice it over the weekend.

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  12. metamorphosis says…
    05/10/2009

    I´m so happy to get to read about your opinions about cloth nappies, and I agree in so much of what you write!
    I like the options you have when it comes to cloth nappies, from flat nappies with a (wool)cover to pocket nappies and AIOs, and they all have their advantages!
    (I wrote a little about our cloth nappies on my blog a few days ago by the way...)

    Reply 0 Replies
  13. Ruth says…
    05/11/2009

    We use cloth nappies too! well not all the time, as now he is bigger (14 months) I hate carrying the dirty ones home when we are out for the day. It took a long time for me to get over the 'perfect mum guilt' for using the odd disposable here and there, but now it's fine....
    the only trouble we have is they are bigger so when he's transitioning between clothes sizes some trousers (um.. pants?) are good for disposable days and others for real days!!!
    oh and i use washcloths instead of wipes on real days! i cut them in quarters first so I didn't have to buy/use so many.
    and Christina, you put a nappy liner in there, it's kinda like a strong tissue (kleenex) that is plushable with the poo! and then wash the rest as is.
    I hang my nappies to almost dry and then tumle dry the last 15 or 20mins else they comeout very hard and scratchy.
    I'm one of those people who believe that no lanfill outweighs an exta load of washing every 2 days at 40 deg (centigrade) so low...

    Reply 0 Replies
  14. sue brown says…
    05/11/2009

    All 3 of my babies had cloth nappies, just the simple squares folded by me. I loved that I was not adding to the already overfilled landfill amongst other things. Now my babies are older and the nappies are still used, they are used up in the shed for wiping car engines and oil, for cleaning up from renovation projects, for use in my art studio with paints, inks etc and cut down to size for my little girl's dolls nappies.

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  15. pam says…
    05/11/2009

    Ali, so glad to read this post as my daughter just gave birth. She decided to use disposables until the baby is 2 weeks old, then buy cloth. She's researched it extensively but wanted to see how big baby was before ordering cloth.
    I used cloth on both my babies as the disposables were in their infancy and not very good. I would still use cloth today as I'm quite green and think a bit of electricity (which is more renewable here in the West than throwing plastic in the landfill), with soft cloth next to baby's tender skin is really the way to go.

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  16. Panamomma says…
    05/11/2009

    I used cloth diapers on my daughter as the trash from the disposables is a problem to get rid of here on our island. I ended up using disposables at night as she got older. What I can say for the cloth diapers is that my daughter was potty trained well before she was two years old as a result. They are not as easy as disposable for sure, but they are worth it. I used the earlier version of Bum Genius - they lasted as long as my daughter was wearing diapers.

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  17. Nichole says…
    05/11/2009

    Thanks for getting the word out about cloth diapers. I used them for my daughter 7 years ago, and I absolutely loved them! Aren't they addictive? They were my hobby before I discovered scrapbooking, LOL! I'm only sorry I never documented their daily use like you're doing. I was hanging out size 8 pants on the clothesline today, and missing the days when I saw newborn Kissaluvs hanging out there. :-(
    Hey, you should come to St. Louis to visit the home of bumGenius, then teach some scrapbook classes down the road at For Keeps Sake. We would have such a blast!

    Reply 0 Replies
  18. Cara says…
    05/11/2009

    Thank you so much for this post, Ali! I am a long way off from having kids, but cloth diapers are something I've always wanted to consider for when I *do* have them. I don't know much about them though, and I really appreciate having the info you posted as a jumping off point!

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  19. Nicola says…
    05/11/2009

    *Sigh* - I've just given up on cloth after 8 months (my little guy is now 13 months). He's grown out of the BumGenius and Happy Heinys at just over 20lbs - we had to open the snaps up all the way in Nov when he was 8 months old. Then, about two months ago, they just started leaking - all the brands (I've got 4 or 5 different brands, with most being HH and BG). I've since read that many babies grow out of them very early if they're long in the rise. They'd also been just not-so-fresh seeming for the past few months, and I'd been feeling like I'd been unable to get them really clean despite stripping and all that. And I found he was actually getting more diaper rashes because I couldn't smell them as well and he'd sit for longer in a dirty dipe. So, I just gave up.....I did buy some regular Tide - which I've heard also cleans really well - and might try one other go with cleaning them. Also, I might try stuffing with the regular insert AND the newborn one to see if absorbancy was the issue. I just really hope he hasn't truely grown out of them after spending so much money on them. Good for you for doing it, though. I was really happy doing it during the time it was working well for us. They're so cute too, and really not the big bulky things they used to be when we were babies. Ohhhh, this got long! Take care!

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  20. Amy Brock says…
    05/11/2009

    I've been using cloth diapers for the past 11 years with all 4 of my babies. It started when my first baby was allergic to the gel in toss away diapers and just continued through with my other babies. Let me stress that it was not as gross or difficult as most people think. I've used Bum Genius diapers for the past 3 years and have learned which detergents work to best without being harsh on babies' bottoms (I personally like Mrs. Meyers oxygen based detergents. ) But, let me also stress that cloth is not for everyone because it is a commitment, both in money up front to buy the diapers and in time because it does take awhile to get used to the rhythm of washing diapers to always have them on hand. The best way I can suggest getting into cloth is to buy a few diapers of different brands to see which one you like the best before the big investment. I also spoke with Molly Ging of http://www.treecitydiapers.com/store/ and she gave me some fabulous advice on which diapers to use with which inserts. Advice, patience, and practice is the key! Good luck and thanks Ali for the post on cloth!
    Amy Brock
    Ft. Leavenworth, KS

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  21. Christene says…
    05/11/2009

    Hi Ali, thanks for all the information. As none of my friends used cloth, I didn't really consider it an option with my son. However, I would be interested if we are lucky enough to have another child. I do have a question, though - what about the going out/daycare issue? Do you find it hard to take care of diapering when you and Anna are out and about? What do you do with the used dipes? That might sound like a strange question, but I am so used to the toss and go method. I am trying to be greener in my everyday life, as we all are, and this is just one more element to which I previously gave no thought! ;)

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  22. Anne Alley says…
    05/11/2009

    Great post today! I loved using cloth diapers for my daughter, it was not at all as difficult as I feared, and it saved us a fortune. I'm fortunate enough to live in a warm enough climate to line dry them during the summer; when I put them in the dryer I found that adding a dry bath towel to the load helped them dry faster :)

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  23. ann marie says…
    05/11/2009

    I think it's great that you're using cloth on Anna. I have been cloth diapering for the past two years, since my son was about a month old. I, too, waited until I was a little more settled with being in newborn mode to start with cloth. Had I known about these back when my oldest son was born, I would have used them back then too. :)
    And I use my dryer for the better part of the year as well. I live in Buffalo, NY and there is a lot of snow and rain here too. We all do the best we can don't we? ;)
    You are such a sweetheart, I just love your blog! It's so inspiring.

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  24. Ali Edwards says…
    05/11/2009

    I may just try that Anne - thanks for the suggestion :).

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  25. Ali Edwards says…
    05/11/2009

    Anna is just getting ready to start going to a friend's house a couple times a week. My friend is totally willing to do cloth so I will be bringing over a stash in the morning with a bag + then bringing them home in the afternoon when I pick her up. I think if you are able to show your provider how easy they are they may be more willing to work it in to their system.
    For going out we have done a bit of both. It's pretty easy to just store a stash in the car just like you would disposables and carry a wet bag to store the soiled ones in your diaper bag/purse/backpack etc.

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