Okay, here is another post you might want to skip (unless you are interested in CDing)!
When I was trying to figure out the logistics of cloth diapering and what all we would need, I scoured mom blogs, searching for any posts they had done on cloth diapering! So on the off chance that someone reading my blog is interested in cloth diapering, I thought I would share what we do and how its working out so far with us.
First of all, the stash:
We have 14 FuzziBunz. They are All in Ones pocket and one size. These diapers will fit Jack until he is potty trained. The perk about these diapers: there is elastic around the legs and the waist that can be sized. So basically, you can get them to fit perfectly. Since they are AIO's with a pocket, there is no fooling around with a prefold and snaps or pins (think old school diapers). You put the diaper on and snap it closed, just like you would a disposable. Which means its easy enough for a babysitter or daycare...or, let's be honest, a dad!
We have 10 bumgenius (7 are from the artist series). Again, these are one size AIO's with a pocket. These are sized with front snaps. But I actually like these better than the fuzzibunz. They are less bulky (which I know will change the bigger Jack gets), and the artist series is so cute! Again, super easy to use.
We put on the diapers just like normal. When we change a diaper, we pull out the insert and throw both parts in the wet bag. This is the wet bag that we keep in Jack's room. We just hang it on his changing table until its time to wash. So far smell has not been an issue. At the daycare, they just throw his diapers in a pail we bring, and then I pull out the inserts at home. We also use cloth wipes and we just toss those in there as well!
The wet bag is great, because it gets washed along with the diapers. See how there's a zipper on the bottom? You just unzip and dump all of the diapers into the wash, then throw the bag in, too!
Here's our travel wet bag. We keep this in the diaper bag. It can hold about two dirty diapers. Again, it gets washed with the diapers.
Okay, here is the only sort of hard part (I actually don't find it that hard)--the washing! I put the diapers in the wash and run it once without detergent on cold. Then I add detergent (but a small amount). We use Rockin' Green. It's cloth diaper and baby friendly! Then I run it through again on hot. Then I either hang it all up to dry, or I grab out the diapers and wet bags (they can't be dried) and machine dry the inserts and the wipes.
A couple of notes about the washing:
* Jack is exclusively breastfed, so his poop is all water soluble. So it can all go through the wash. In a few months when he starts eating solids, we will need to dump out the poop into the toilet. We have an attachment that will spray the diapers to get everything off.
* We don't have a washer and dryer, so I have to use the laundromat in the housing area we live in. That's the only part that isn't easy. If we had a washer and dryer in our house, cloth diapering would be ridiculously easy. I mean, honestly, if you have a washer and dryer, you are crazy to not at least try! It doesn't take much time and is so much cheaper!
* After the first run through in the washer, you can throw some extra clothes in. I usually throw whatever is in Jack's dirty clothes into the washer at that point.
* If there are any stains left on the diapers, drying them in the sun will take them right out. Literally, it happens in minutes. It's amazing.
Here are my diapers hanging up to dry!
Here are the inserts, ready to be stuffed.
Once the diapers are dry, I stuff the inserts in.
And, voila! Ready to go!
So far, this system is working great for us!
The only negative: Diaper rash! Jack keeps getting bad rashes. I have cloth diaper safe rash cream, but it doesn't clear it up very quickly. I think part of the rash is due to his sleeping all night. When he is in the same diaper all night, he has that wetness on his skin for almost 12 hours straight! The past few nights, we have been putting him in a disposable and lathering him up with Boudreauxs butt paste (which is definitely not cloth diaper safe!). It seems to be helping. Anyone else had this problem? Any tips or advice?
Anyway, that's how we cloth diaper around here. I am certainly not an expert. I emailed friends and read lots of blogs! I also read a ton online about what all of the different kinds and brands of diapers are. I love my choices.
And I love Jack in his cute cloth diapers!
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