Diapering developments

Tony and I have made the plunge into the world of cloth diapers. It was something I never thought I'd do, but so far it's going well.

I've thought about switching to cloth for quite a while but never did it because I thought it wouldn't be nearly as convenient or easy as disposables. I didn't think it would be worth my time. A couple of months ago, however, I was reading comments on an LDS message board about the pros and cons of cloth diapers, and after doing some more research I decided to pick a brand and order a bunch. Diapers are really different now than they were when my younger brother used them 20 years ago. They come in cute colors, nice fabrics and they have snaps and velcro. Of course, you can still go with the traditional kind.

I decided to go with pocket diapers, which are basically diapers that have a super absorbent washable insert you stick into a leak-proof cover. The cover isn't at all plastic-y - I actually really like the fabric on the brand we went with, BumGenius.

We also ordered ones that come in one size and can be used for newborns up to toddlers who weigh 30 lbs. They fit Ruth just fine and look like they will be small enough for baby number 2 when s/he comes around. I have to wash the diapers every 2-3 days, which has been the hardest part for me because in the past I haven't been the type to do laundry that frequently. I prefer to do all my laundry on one day. But this has been good for me. Tony put a clothesline in the basement for me so I (or he... he helps me with the laundry, too) can hang them up to dry. My only major complaint is that the cloth diapers aren't as trim as disposables, so they tend to look a little funny under some of her clothes. I still use disposables when she is being babysat and usually when we go out, but I may eventually use only cloth when I'm out running errands. You just stick dirty ones in a plastic bag until you get home. Obviously, for extended trips, I'd use disposables.

I think our investment in cloth diapers was about $300 for 18 diapers. We will probably buy a handful more before Numero Dos arrives to meet the potty demands of a newborn. We purchased a diaper sprayer that attaches to the pipe on our toilet, and that was about $40. It's good for runny poops. I've only had to use it once so far, but it was helpful in getting the diaper clean. I'm sure we will use it much more frequently with a newborn. I also bought two washable trash can liners for the diaper pail, and I think those were $10-$15 each but will last forever. I figured that the investment should pay for itself in about a year. I have only bought one pack of disposable diapers in the last 4 or 5 weeks!

Anyway, just wanted to share my cloth diapering adventures. We find out the gender of Numero Dos on Wednesday! Exciting!!!