Frugal Friday: Cloth Diapering

I typically use disposable diapers in the colder months and cloth diapers in the warmer months, since I like hanging the diapers on the line and not using the dryer for them. But the stash of disposable diapers that I wrote about here is now exhausted of it's size 5 diapers and the size 6 are still too big. So this week I switched back to cloth diapers. I'm happy to know that spring is on it's way (or should be, but I'm starting to wonder if it will ever get here!) and that I will only have to be drying them for a few months, at best, before I can start using the clothesline for them. There are two reasons I dislike using the dryer on cloth diapers. 1. It wears the diapers out faster that way. 2. The sun bleaches all the stains out of them. I do hang the diaper covers on my shower bar to dry though, as using a dryer on those is a no-no since it breaks down the waterproofing quite quickly, as well as any elastic.

I have a wide assortment of cloth diapers. Some I bought from stores or on ebay, some I got free for doing reviews, and some I found at garage sales. I don't have any pre-folds. I just do not like the hassle of them, but some people find those to be their favorites. When considering cloth diapers I advise you to get one of each style (all-in-ones, pocket, fitted, and pre-folds) and figuring out which ones you like best before buying your whole supply.

Two of my favorite diapers are pocket diapers. The covering has a small insert in the back to insert the "stuffing". Some people use pre-folds in the pockets but I buy the inserts that come with the diapers. You can double up on an insert for a heavy wetter or nap or bedtime.

Fuzzi Bunz is my favorite pocket diaper because it is thin and doesn't add as much bulk as typical cloth diapers. The fleece which lines the diaper is so soft and the insert is an ultra absorbent material which seems to wick away all wetness from baby's skin. Fuzzi Bunz close with snaps which are adjustable, so fit all types of babies from skinny to ultra chub! You don't need to worry about leaking with these diapers.

Happy Heiny's are another pocket diaper which I like. They also have fleece material inside which helps baby feel dryer. The inserts that I have are a thick cotton/hemp material which stops leaks but is a bit more bulkier. I do like using these for nighttime and going out and about the best. The designs are cute too...I have a zebra print, baseball, and dolphin.

Kushies is an all-in-one diaper. There is nothing to stuff into a pocket and it needs no cover. These are such soft cotton and hold leaks pretty well, though they do leak if I don't catch a wet diaper in time and leave it on too long. The designs are adorable and the velcro tabs make changing just the same as a disposable.

Once my babies start to go to solids I like to use these Kushies disposable diaper liners. They are like a thick piece of toilet paper and you just set a piece in the diaper. If baby has a bowel movement it is easy to just shake the liner and poo into the toilet.

When it comes to diaper pails, I do the dry pail method. I have a dry bucket which I stick all the dirty diapers in. Once it is full I dump into the washer, do a rinse cycle on cold, and then do a normal hot water wash. You can use a wet pail method, but then you need to have a secure lid as it posses a threat to small children in the house. I've tried both methods and find the dry pail much easier.

I use my homemade laundry detergent or whatever detergent is on hand to wash the diapers. Sometimes I will add a sprinkle of baking soda to the wash water. If lingering odors are beginning to be a problem you can add 1/2 a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

I then hang the diapers out on the clothesline, or in the wintertime dry the diapers in the dryer and hang the covers (when I use the fitted diapers with a cover) on the shower curtain. Once they are washed and dried I keep them in a laundry basket and pull one out when needed.

Cloth diapering is not like it was even 15 years ago. There are so many options and changing the diapers take about the same as it would if it were disposables. Washing them a few times a week doesn't take a whole lot of time either. It saves me money and is also better for the environment (did you know a disposable diaper will sit in the landfill for 500 years?!). The beginning outlay when buying a stash of cloth diapers can be a couple hundred dollars (or less if you are buying on ebay or other cheaper sources) but within a year you have saved that much and more by not buying diapers and you can use this stash for future children or sell it for some cash, as even used but good condition diapers bring in good money.

Do you cloth diaper or use disposables? What brand(s) do you use?