I'm pregnant with my third child now and I have been tinkling over the internet on baby products, and I have read about cloth diapers. I've heard about this product before but I've never really tried it. Both my first and second child used disposable diapers. Cloth diaper brands claim that their products have more advantages than disposable diapers like more comfortable and snug, washable, earth friendly,.. etc. and the designs are so cute. Cloth diapers are more pricey than disposable diapers but they say that you can actually save more in the long run. I'm really thinking about buying some for my baby. I hope it is what they claim to be. Have you tried cloth diapers for your babies? What would you prefer?
I prefer disposable diapers. I know that cloth diapers are better for the environment but when I worked out about the cost I didn't really think it would make that much difference. Yes, the initial outlay for cloth diapers is not much in relation to the long-term expense of disposable diapers. However, my problem was that I was continuing to work from home and the thought of doing all the extra laundry was a nightmare. They would cost me in washing powder, electric to wash and dry and use up time when I could either be working or spending time with my baby. The other option was to have a diaper collection service come and take away dirty diapers and replace with clean ones. There is a fee attached to this. This is a service available in some areas of the UK, I am not sure if there is anything similar in the US.
I opted to go for disposable diapers for my son (now almost 5) when he was born. I love the idea of cloth diapers, I just know that with my busy schedule and lack of love for laundry...it would not end well! Plus, when he was a baby he had some BAD blowout diapers that were just disgusting! No matter how much I would have washed a cloth diaper, the stains wouldn't have come out even thought it was "clean." And I agree with lizzie79, I know disposable diapers aren't great for the environment...but I just didn't have the time or energy for cloth ones. The diaper collection service sounds like an interesting idea, I live in the US and have never heard of anything like that, but I guess I never looked! Cloth diapers were'nt for me, but I wish you luck! In my ideal world I would have used them.
I have three kids. The first was 100% cloth diapers, the second was a mix of disposable and cloth, and the third was also a more perfected mix. I used cloth diapers at home, when I went to family members houses and places like that. However, I used disposables when I was going out to public places. It worked well, and we found a balance which made keeping a kid diapered cheaply.
Both of my boys are out of diapers now but I used both prefolds and Bumgenius pocket diapers with them. I calculated that after 10 months of use the diapers paid for themselves, when compared with the cost of disposables. Cloth diapers really have come a long way just in the past 10 years. Some stores will even let you get a trial box so you can try different brands out on your baby to see what you like best. I had a mix of snap and velcro closures; in my experience the snaps hold up better over time. Search your local area to see if you have a local cloth store near you. It is really helpful to see the products in person and learn about the different fabric types available.
I tried using cloth diapers but I couldn't be bothered with them, so I switched to disposable ones. I think they are easier to use and not as much bother. I also found they stay up better too. Both my children would pull the cloth ones off at times, lol.
Disposable diapers are better. Don't really have time for cloth diapers even though I understand the benefits they provide. If you have the patience to deal with cloth diapers, it is best to go ahead with those, but they are not for me. I like the idea of just disposing of the diapers after they have been used. Simple to do.
We used cloth and it saved us a small fortune. They were cuter too. The washing was just... Nothing, really. One extra load every 2 days is barely noticeable in a household like ours! It wasn't just the environment, though it was a consideration. (It's not just the waste in landfill, it's the oil used to make the nappies for instance.) It also saved us money, and they were far more comfy, reliable and less likely to cause rash than paper nappies.
I think I prefer the disposable diapers, at least from a practical point of view. Sure the cloth ones may save you more in the long run but if you are going to a public place then you'd still need to have disposable ones as you don't want to go around all day with a poopy diaper. As for the comfort, I think the reusable ones may be more better in the beginning, but how soft are they after they've been washed 50 times?
It really depends. Cloth diapers will surely save you money in the long run, but not time. If you have excess energy and time to wash and mange the cloth diapers, then you can just go and buy it. But if you don't, then you should just have quality disposable diapers for your baby. Managing cloth diapers, personally I think delivers more hassle than disposable ones. And because I always prefer convenience, I prefer the latter.
Cloth!!! First off, unless you're going with the premium diapers that run $25+ each or you purchase more than 1-2 days worth, you will break even by 7-10 months. I did disposable diapers with my first two kids and cloth for my third. Because I waited to potty-train him until he was ready, that was almost two full years I had no expenses for. I went with a brand of snap-together, adjustable-size/ one-size "pocket diapers" where you choose the level of absorbency by adding inserts. Each diaper came with one insert and only cost about $10. I had 20 diapers and they not only lasted me the full two+ years, but they're still in very good shape. During the day and while he was young, I used one microfiber insert. At night, I would add a bamboo one as well. As he aged, I added a second microfiber one. The only time the diapers ever leaked was when they needed an extra hot rinse in the washer. Travel was not an issue. All you do is carry a bag with you. Not a big deal at all. We even did day trips and went camping and did cloth. As far as wash goes, again, it was nothing. I ran an extra rinse cycle and used EcoNuts soap instead of detergent with white vinegar, then I hung-dry the diapers. I never handled the poo or had to scrub, even when there were tummy bugs going around or during those lovely first days of mushy diapers. When it was solid, I'd dump it in the potty, which only takes about 30 seconds. Even dad and grandma adapted to them without issue and they were both less than thrilled when they heard I wanted to go with cloth. They were easy to use, flipping adorable (my boy had a ton of fuzzy animal-print ones lol), less expensive, comfortable for him (Ohhh... and he NEVER, not once, had diaper rash). I can't say enough good things about cloth. If you're on the fence, maybe try purchasing a few and using them when you're at home.
I personally would never try to attempt cloth diapering. I don't have the patience nor the time to wash a ton of loads of laundry. I'm a disposable diapering momma. They are convienient for my family.
I have never used cloth diapers. I did think about using them but just the fact that I would need to clean them constantly was a no-brainer for me. I don't want to be constantly washing them and kids go through so many diapers a day it is ridiculous. I've heard a lot of moms rave about cloth diapers, I just think it depends on the type of person you are. Would you mind cleaning them constantly? Would you get really stressed out if you didn't have one ready for them? I have so much on my plate that I knew I would not be able to find the time to clean them as well as do everything else. If you use them, I wish you the best of luck!
