The Joys of Cloth Diapering My Child

Like many, I once believed that cloth diapering--while frugal and good for the environment--was a huge hassel. I pictured folding and pinning while trying to hold a baby still. Learning to wash them and keep up with the laundry seemed a daunting task. And how could they possibly be as absorbant? I had always wondered about it and thought of trying it, but overall, I was in the crowd that felt just too overwhelmed by the concept.

After my son suffered many diaper rashes and penile infections, we decided it was time to give cloth a chance. I began to think perhaps our disposable diapers were too absorbant, as they did feel dry even after soaking up plenty of pee. That meant urine--and diaper chemicals--were sitting up against his tender rump pretty often, dry or not. It became obvious to me that this was contributing to rashes and infections.

I collected enough diapers to get started just as we ran out of disposables, and we made a clean switch. At first I had to do laundry every other day until I'd collected morediapers. My 'stash' now consists of 18 or so diapers of various types and patterns, which is enough for my 21-month-old son. I'll need a lot more for my second child, due in September. We use all-in-ones now and will probably use prefolds for our newborn, which are much cheaper.

I immediately loved the cloth diapers. They are so much cuter and have such a variety of prints. My son has plain white Kushies, Zebra-striped and leopard-spotted Bumkins, a Curious George Jelly Bean, Bumkins with fish, stars, and zoo animals, a polka-dotted homemade one, and so any more. Anyone who sees them admires them. "Those are some snazzy pants!" an airport observer exclaimed recently.

As you may have noticed, there are a lot of kinds of diapers, too. They mostly cost the same, give or take a few bucks. I mostly use Bumkins and Kushies, because that's what I found first cheap. I love WAHM ones, homemade by moms who work at home...making diapers! They usually have more padding, are very soft, and make great overnight diapers. The Bumkins are compact and make great on-the-go diapers for the diaper bag. Kushies can be stuffed for extra absorbancy.

My son had just learned to remove his disposable diapers. The velcro and snaps on most cloth diapers is stronger, making them harder to undo. This put a temporary halt to his removing his diaper all the time. In a few weeks he had the new ones figured out, though! They are so easy to use, a toddler can do it! This also means they are less likely to sag or fall off when soaked, though I don't recommend letting them get too wet if you can avoid it!

The first thing I noticed is how absorbant they are. The only time they leak is if I forget to change him (which is rare), if he has a supersoaker evening, or if I don't fasten them tightly enough. They don't become bulky when my son pees 2-3 times, though I rarely let him wear a single diaper for too long. That means he feels them less and is less annoyed by them. They also hold poop better, and it usually stays in one place inside the diaper--instead of spreading. Cleanup is much easier, and there are never any nasty diaper crystals stuck to my son's skin!

Some of the diapers let him feel when he is wet. (Inserting a cheap liner will keep him from feeling wet, though.) This will be great when I'm ready to start potty training. I can keep using what I already have instead of having to spend a lot of disposable training pants. I won't have to redo my budget to cover the increase in the cost of diapering, because there really won't be one.

In fact, I don't have any diapering costs, besides the small amount of water and detergent I use for laundering. I only have to buy more when he outgrows a certain size, and I could even sell what I have in that size to finance the upgrade. Now I may invest in some cloth training pants, but if I buy secondhand, it won't cost much at all. It will certainly be cheaper than buying a few boxes of disposable training pants every month.

My son has had less diaper rashes and penile infections since the switch. It took time to adjust to the change, but now his bum is softer, healthier, and whiter. The Bumkins actually feel cool (not wet) on the outside when he needs a change, which helps ensure he doesn't wear a wet diaper too long. That contributes to the fewer number of diaper rashes, I'm sure. I believe the main reason is that there are no chemicals or artificial materials sitting on his skin all day--just cloth! Most cloth diapers are made of natural, organic material--another plus.

Some people think I'm a little strange to use cloth diapers. Many turn their noses up at it. They imagine stinky hampers, special and time-consuming laundering procedure, and scrubbing poopy diapers in the sink. They think it must be so difficult for me, but I think they are the ones missing out. I was like them once, so I can't blame them too much.

I only wash diapers every few days. I dump solid poop in the toilet and don't scrub. I use Tide with Febreze and all the extra settings on the washer, and it takes a little longer for them to dry than it does our clothing. Adding fabric softener helps eliminate the smell, and any stains are usually removed with a spray of Shout. An air freshener in the hamper works wonders. It's that simple. There's hardly any work involved at all!

It's a great feeling to know that I am helping the environment. The dirty water from my washing machine goes to a water treatment facility to be cleansed and sanitized, and the impact on the Earth is minimal. Those disposable diapers, filled with urine, feces, and even blood, sit in a landfill. The rain runoff could end up containing ammonia, bacteria, even viruses and get into the soil, infecting plants and animals. Even in a landfill that lines the Earth to prevent that, it's still one nasty landfill taking up land that could be used for farming or houring. We'd probably need less of them if we used more reusable items like cloth diapers, toilet paper, and menstrual pads.

The other kids I babysit have shown an interest in my son's cloth diapers. A 2 1/2 year-old grabbed one during a diaper change and wanted to wear it. The colors attract the younger children. I imagine a brightly colored diaper is far more stimulating than the pastel, faint designs on most disposable diapers with those boring white backgrounds. They don't just appeal to adults but kids, too, apparently.

There are a number of good reasons to switch to cloth diapers. I was hesitant at first. I just figured it was time to give it a try. I am so glad I did. Cloth diapering has had such an impact on our lifestyle and inspired us to make other healthy changes. I love cloth diapers. You will, too. What are you waiting for? Give it a try!