Cloth Diapering-- The Good, The Bad, and The Smelly

Poop.

There, I said it. It's the single thing that I've heard people say when we talk about cloth diapering, as the ultimate, omega, challenging, "no way I can deal with that" reason to not use cloth diapers. Because somehow we perceive it as easier to bundle up poop and two-finger carry it to the trash can, where it sits in our kitchens, rather than to keep it confined to the bathroom.

Let me tell you, I did the googling when I was putting together our baby registry, and I was sure that even if I wanted to use cloth diapers, it was something that was going to take up so much time, but I was ready for the trade-off.

I'm here to assure you that this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, cloth diapering has made life with one in diapers easier than I could have imagined-- and I say this as someone who had one in traditional disposable diapers so I feel like I'm a safe judge of cloth diapering in general.

The main difference that I've experienced is that paper diapers use stickers, and cloth diapers use snaps.

Yes, that's it. Modern cloth diapering isn't all diaper pins and cotton cloth (unless you want that!). 

Why Did I Decide to Cloth Diaper?

I have no idea. Maybe it's because I see something and think "life is short, I should experience this." Maybe because I think "I can't help but plan things, better add another task to the schedule." It's at least partly due to living about 15 minutes out from a shopping center, and knowing what it's like to be completely and totally out of paper diapers, and wanting to avoid needing to scramble for a trip to the local store.

Whatever the reason, it certainly has its benefits. 

The Benefits of Cloth Diapering

The Cost

It's pretty much a one and done purchase. Sure, you might figure out what you like, and need to stock up on a few extras, but with the name brand disposable diapers (which were better, and as a fan of generic, it pains to me to say the name brand was worth it) running at $45 a box, that's about $90 a month give or take. Giving a generous estimate, with cloth diapering, I spent about $300 on diapers overall. That's a HUGE savings! I also sold the newborn size diapers (that weren't really worth it, to be honest) on eBay for almost the full cost.

Some of my diapers were secondhand, eBay purchases, and with that, there is always a risk. Definitely read up on a laundry routine for your specific washing machine before you make the switch, and get a good detergent.

I purchased a mix, but recommend Mama Koala pocket diapers, and Bumgenius. You'll probably want a few foldable cotton inserts, just in case, and I'll always recommend hemp as the highest absorbent insert.

As I've already mentioned, cloth diapering is an upfront cost, but altogether, it's much much less than we spent on disposables. Cloth diapering fans LOVE to resell (it's one of the benefits!) so you can generally find some diaper shells and basic inserts for cheap, and then spend your money on the heavy-duty inserts.

You'll save on swim diapers, too! Diaper shells can be used without the inserts as swim diapers. If you would like something similar to a swimsuit, check out the Grovia two in ones.

The Laundry

Yes, it's true, you'll do a few extra loads of laundry. Our daycare provided diapers as part of tuition, so at that point in my life, we did diaper laundry (a double wash) twice per week. With the kids at home, that is about 2-3 days, which is manageable, because the diaper pail gets a bit rank around then (and yea, your trash can will too, if you use disposables), so we don't really want it sitting around anyway.

We use a regular diaper pail to hold the dirty laundry, with a reusable, washable diaper pail liner.

You will want to determine a wash routine, which essentially means, "my diapers get clean". This might mean that you will need a stronger detergent than you're used to, or you'll need to ensure that your washing machine is full enough to really scrub everything clean-- especially if you don't have an agitator.

Overall, most cloth diapering groups agree-- you do a cold wash with minimal detergent first, followed by a hot wash with full detergent. I recommend powdered Tide, which is especially great if you have hard water.

The Poop

Ah, finally. The part that everyone cringes about when you mention cloth diapering.

Here's the thing-- babies poop. They poop a lot. In fact, you've probably seen the pictures or heard the stories of the epic blowout someone had to deal with in the most inconvenient of places. I once flew cross country with a couple seated in the row behind me that experienced an epic blowout right before landing. So yeah, poop happens, my friends.

The thing is, I can't remember a single epic blowout with cloth diapers. Paper diapers are loose at the top, so you don't get the same containment that you do with the elastic band at every opening that cloth diapers provide, so I can honestly say that any leaks we have had have been of the pee-variety, only. In fact, the only "omg eeeew!" moment we have experienced was within the short period of time when our baby was too little to fit into the cloth diapers properly and we used the regular disposable kind.

When it comes to dealing with the poop that your baby's diaper contains, there really isn't that much to think about. If your baby is breastfed, you don't need to worry about it at all-- just throw it in the washing machine without thinking about it, as it's water-soluble. 

If your baby is older and eating solid foods, just carry the offending diaper to the toilet, and shake it off. 

If your baby is formula-fed, you might need to invest in a diaper sprayer, which hooks to your toilet and lets you hose it off. Otherwise, the occasionally messy poop will likely work with a little "dunk and swish" action. Then, just throw it in the bin and launder as usual.

I feel like this section is really short, and I think that's important to call out. There is a lot of fear around poop and cloth diapers, and I've dealt with poop a lot less with cloth diapers than I ever did with disposables.

You'll shake it off of a diaper, or peel a poopy onesie off of your baby's clothes, and I would much rather keep it contained.

The Catch

Your newborn might be too small for cloth diapers, since we can't really predict how big they will be, just yet. We used paper diapers for about a month before our newborn would fit into the one-size cloth diapers. 

The Recommendation

Read up on cloth diapers, particularly the absorbency of materials and a laundry routine. It's only complicated when it's new, but that is how everything is with a new baby!

When your baby is tiny, the microfiber inserts that come with the diaper will probably be enough. When your baby gets older, you'll probably need something a bit more absorbent. I definitely recommend getting familiar with the speed and absorbency of different materials, but my quick recommendation is a microfiber (usually comes with the diaper) over a hemp insert within a pocket diaper. Be aware that all-in-one type diapers might seem easier at first, but typically have a lower absorbency, which is why I recommend pockets since you can adjust the absorbency level.

No matter the choice, always remember that microfiber should never be placed against a baby's skin-- either put it in a diaper pocket or layer it with another material (another insert or a piece of fleece) between the material and the baby, to avoid irritation.

Overall, cloth diapering is nowhere near as intimidating as it might seem at first. All that is takes is a collection of enough diaper materials to last for about 2 days, minimum, and a solid laundry routine. There are plenty of Facebook groups, and websites available to help answer any troubleshooting questions that you may have, and the resale value and environmental aspect is a huge benefit, as well!

Have any questions about cloth diapering that you would like to see answered? Reach out in the comments!