Before You Buy Cloth Diapers

Recently a member of my Mothers of Preschoolers group announced that she uses cloth diapers. At first I thought she was crazy, but then she told us a little about them. First off, they are not as thick and bulky as they used to be, and they come in all sorts of colors, and patterns. Many companies make them, and offer inserts that you leave in the diaper, and when the baby has gone number two you just take the insert out and either throw away or wash. That makes cleaning up a lot faster. Our MOPS member went through a specific company, but since that meeting I have found many more online. Here are some tips, ideas, and other facts I have learned about cloth diapering.

There are several different kinds of cloth diapers. There are:
All In Ones
Diaper Doublers or Liners
Fitted Diapers
Pre-folded Diapers
Flat or Square Diapers
Hemp, Sherpa, or Wool Diapers
Polar Fleece
Pocket Diapers
Snap to fits
Soakers

Possibly more, but these I have seen on many sites. Every person has a different need for cloth diapering, and with so many different kinds out there it is nice to have such a choice. I have purchased a few different ones, in my search for cloth diapering. My favorite is the all in one, most likely because it is the easiest to use, it isn't expensive, it just isn't cheap, though it is cheaper than repeatedly buying disposables. I hope that wasn't too confusing. Pocket Diapers are nice also, but I think they look funny, and Snap to fits I think are nice because they can fit for such a long time, we bought cloth diapers that fit our 2 year old and our 6 month old at the same time.

Another thing I learned is that so many moms make cloth diapers, and they are not terribly hard to make, but it is important to use the right kind of fabric on the inside to keep it from wetting through. There are always covers that can be added to the diapers, but I do not like the concept of covers. There isn't anything wrong with them, it is just a personal preference. I do like that you can make covers out of almost any fabric though, so babies can look very cool in the summer in their cute, homemade cloth diapers. I have also read that there can be an asthmatic reaction to disposable diapers, and the products and chemicals in them are not good for the baby's skin, not to mention they end up going to the dump and can not be reused.

Cloth diapers themselves have come a long way, and now there are even some different accessories to make cloth diapering even easier. Wet bags, a bag that doesn't let the smell through can be used in the diaper bag to hold dirty diapers, liners can be rewashed or some even flushed with the baby's number 2 potty in them, and there are bags and holders for the home, like bigger wet bags, and there are still buckets, and even homemade wipes can be made for those who are really into it.

I like cloth diapering because it lets you use an olden days method, that obviously worked for hundreds of years, and is better for the baby anyways. Just getting past the initial cost can be a bit difficult especially if you are on one income, but just remembering that you can later resell the diapers on Ebay for about 75% of the cost you put into them might help that worry. And really it isn't like you get any of that disposable diaper money back, right?