Money Saver for Babies in Diapers!

Cloth Diapering: The way I see it...

In the months prior to my son's birth, I spent a great deal of time researching and toying with the idea of cloth diapering. I was turned off to it at first because I thought it sounded too messy and like way too much of a hassle. However, the more I learned, the more convinced I became that this was the route I wanted to take. Here's why:

Saving Money. Recent studies indicate that the average cost of diapering a baby for his first year comes to about $800. Granted, this is without couponing, sales, and diapers received as gifts, but still seems like quite a bit of money. With this number in mind, I started pricing cloth diapers to see if I could beat it. After crunching the numbers, I discovered I could purchase 12 diaper covers and 6 doz. prefolds in the neighborhood of $350-$400. Even if I chose to buy 2 doz. brand new BumGenius all-in-ones, The total would still come $100 short of the disposable diapering average. Plus, the cloth dipes would be reusable and would likely survive multiple children. After presenting my findings to my dear husband, we were ready to start shopping!

Choosing a System. My first stop was consignment. There I found some gently used newborn covers (Thirsties and Bummis) and a few prefolds. I was also able to locate some all-in-ones (Fuzzibunz and BumGenius). Next stop was eBay, where I was able to purchase 6 small Proraps, and 12 Rearz NB prefolds. And then I waited and watched the bids for other items. After several months of bidding and losing, I found a website called Cottonbabies. I could not believe the bargains!! They were way less expensive than any other sellers, like Amazon and Jillian's Drawers, and I didn't have to worry about getting out bid. 

After my son's birth we experimented with the different types of cloth diapers. The AIO's leaked and didn't seal well around his legs. We had similar issues with the Thirsties. However, we really likes the Bummis and Proraps! They were a great fit for our long, lean son. We loved the prefolds because we could adjust them, whereas the AIO's could only do so much. Once we decided prefolds and covers were the way to go, I ordered the remaining prefolds and some Flip and Econobum covers from Cottonbabies.  Our total cost to cloth diaper from birth to potty training came to approx. $300!

The Essentials. For the prefold and cover system mentioned above, it is recommended you purchase the following:

• 36 newborn size prefolds

• 24 infant size prefolds

• 24 regular/toddler size prefolds

• 6-10 covers in each size (though I managed with way less by doing one-size Flip covers)

• 2-4 Snappis or Boingo fasteners

• Odorless diaper pail (see Amazon.com)

I also HIGHLY recommend purchasing a quality diaper sprayer, like the one from Bum Genius. While I know moms who skip this step, I can't imagine how much nastier cleaning dirty diapers would be with out it. Totally worth the $50!

Here is a helpful video in how to fold prefold diapers. Click here.

Trouble Shooting. Gapping around the legs was a problem for a while as we learned how to properly fasten the prefolds. We started out using Snappis, but after a while I decided to get some Boingo fasteners. Problem solved! Unlike Snappis, Boingo's will go any direction you want, allowing for a more custom fit.

Stains were another issue we had to face. Setting prefolds out in the sun will bleach out stains nicely, but in the winter time it's not really a viable option. So, I started prewashing in 1 Tbs. of baking soda! (If you try this beware, because it will void the warranty on some dipes). This worked wonders for 

getting the stains out. I use cold water to do this because hot water will set stains.

As our son grew he became increasingly more fussy when his diaper was wet. Cutting 4x12" strips of fleece from an old blanket served well as a diaper liner. The fleece wicks away the wetness allowing baby's skin to stay dryer. I use this in combination with homemade flannel liners to add extra absorbency at night time. Heavy wetting is common in boys, so adding liners like these makes a big difference!

Another issue from time to time is diaper rash/yeast rash. Not too many diaper creams are cloth safe (or baby safe for that matter), so this may seem problematic. Simple! Buy a $5 jar of coconut oil from Walmart and use that! Coconut oil has anti-fungal properties, is truly all-natural, and incredibly nurturing for skin. Without fail, this has cleared our son's skin better than anything else. Just make sure you strip your diapers with 1/4 vinegar in a prewash to kill any possible yeast!

Washing. I searched far and wide for a good cloth diaper detergent and just couldn't bring myself to spend so much money on the name brands. Again, homemade detergents will void warranties on some diapers so beware. After reading different blogs and suggestions from other moms, this is the recipe I came up with. Equal parts of baking soda, oxygen cleaner (Sun or Oxyclean), and Arm&Hammer Washing Soda. Grate some Ivory Soap and it can also be used as laundry detergent! Be careful to not use any kind of soaps with your diapers though! It will coat them and they will become less absorbent. All in all, this detergent is less than 20 cents a load.

The following is how I proceed to launder my dipes. After spraying each diaper (even the pee pee only ones to avoid ammonia) I place them in a covered diaper pale. After a few days, I let them soak for a few minutes in cold water and 1 TBS of baking soda before running them through a short cycle. This removes stains. I then run a second load on extra rinse with hot water and my homemade diaper detergent. I then hang the covers to air dry and machine dry prefolds and inserts. Once a month I add hydrogen peroxide (1-2TBS) to strip ammonia smells if necessary. It works the same as bleach.

Cloth Wipe Solution. There are a number of ways to do this, but my favorite so far is 5x5" cuts of flannel soaked in a homemade solution and stored in a wipe warmer. I use Badabing Farm goat soap, warm water, and a little olive oil in my solution. You only need enough soap to make the water a little cloudy. Whatever you choose to do, be sure you use a disinfectant and natural oil of some kind.

Traveling. Our family has chosen to travel in disposables for convenience sake and out of respect for those with whom we stay. However, for a day out, I use a wet bag to store my dirty dipes in. This keeps odors and moisture locked in, but also allows air to get in so your soiled diapers don't smell too bad when you get home. When we do need disposables, we use Seventh Generation brand diapers and wipes because they are chlorine free and our little one has a sensitive bum. We try to avoid all the nasty chemicals in commercial baby products as much as possible! Generally you can get coupons for this brand, which puts them in the same price range as Huggies. Target has the best Seventh Generation deals I've been able to find.