It was April 7, 2009 and I discover I am pregnant. It was a surprise pregnancy. For the next two weeks we assume I am having our fourth child. I started to have suspicions that I might be carrying twins. At 6 weeks and 4 days it was confirmed that we were going to be having a fifth child as well. It was TWINS!At this point our oldest child was 5 and a half years old and our youngest had just turned 2. We were preparing for a very busy road ahead. I knew the cost of diapers and had toyed with the idea of cloth diapering with our first child. I received so many “really you want to cloth diaper” comments that I never really thought about it again. That is until we were about to have twins. How much was it going to cost to diaper these two babies? It turns out it was nearly $100 a month without the cost of wipes. So in May of 2009 I found a great deal on some second quality cloth diapers and bought 24. In the box they stayed until January of 2010. Our twins were born a month premature. Our daughter Ellie was only 4 lbs 3.2 ounces and 16.5 inches and our son Eli was 5 lbs 1.7 ounces and 17.5 inches. They were so itty bitty my one size diapers didn’t even come close to fitting. I was in survival mode after they were born so we used disposables until Eli was close to 9 lbs. I put the cloth on him at that time and have never gone back.
We started out with pocket diapers from a small unadvertised company Sweet Doll Baby, as stated before they were seconds so I knew when I purchased them. After a couple of weeks they started to delaminate and I felt they were really bulky. They still functioned as the laminate wasn’t torn but, I needed some new ones. That same company had redesigned their diapers and came out with the new Nubunz premium one size pocket diaper for $9.50 which included two microfiber inserts! I ordered 6 in a variety of closure styles. They offer round tab hook and loop, square tab hook and loop, and snaps. I loved these diapers from the moment I opened the package! Much better quality and the redesign was great. So great in fact that I started using them on Ellie who is more petite than her brother. She was around 8 lbs when I started with her and they fit her great. They were narrower through the crotch which helped with the bulk problem. We have used them for two months now on both twins and never had a leak issue. Usually we use one insert during the day and then two at night. I reach for these before my BumGenius’ all the time!
After our first go round with cloth I ordered a few different types of diapers to see how I liked them. My order consisted of 3 BumGenius 3.0 one size, two Flip covers, 3 Econobum covers and nine Indian prefolds. I love all of these diapers for different reasons. I like my BG 3.0s for night with the doubler that comes with the diaper. I like my Flips for my go to cover over my prefolds. I don’t have the Flip inserts because I ordered just the covers but I did make my own stay dry inserts from some extra microfiber inserts and some fleece to sew onto the top of the insert and they work great. The Econobums are just an excellent economy choice no frills just a get the job done type cover. I never knew how much I would like covers and prefolds or stay dry inserts! On the days when all my covers are clean I have prefold days and don’t touch my pockets!I know the burning question in everyone’s mind is how many diapers do I have or need with twins and how often do you have to wash. Well, I have 21 pocket diapers, one AIO, 3 Flip covers, 3 Econobum covers, 9 prefolds, and 6 stay dry inserts that I made (more are on the way). I have ordered a few more covers because I like them so much and it will help my stash last a few more changes.
I wash every other day but sometimes it is every day. For instance I may wash in the morning one day and then at night the next day but, there is always about 2 days worth of diapers in the pail when I wash which, I guess for a single baby that would be about 4 days worth of diapers! No wonder I have to wash nearly every day! Right now I am having a bit a stink issue but I think I just need to change my detergent again. Still figuring out what detergent will work best with our water.
So between nursing the twins and caring for three older children I don’t have much extra time and you will find crumbs on my table and definitely on my floor! Such is the life of a busy mom but, the kids are smiling and that is what really matters to my heart, not my floors.
8 comments:
In 2003, I had twins as well who were also my 4th and 5th child. My oldest turned 5, 5 days before they were born, so I totally understand. I have 8 children now. So email me if you would like!
Good for you cloth diapering twins! I'm impressed, especially since you started out with two! My first will only be 14 months old when our second arrives in a few months, so I'm expecting that to be allot like cloth diapering twins! I'm looking forward to the adventure and love the excuse to buy more fluff! :)
ROCKIN GREEN detergent!!! It will get rid of your stinkies problem FOREVER!
CD on twins, that's awesome. I was thinking about that the other day, and was wondering if I'd be brave enough.
I have been CD'ing my 2 y.o. twins since they were born and I started out with only 24 without any problems. I now have about 30 diapers and do wash every other day with many left over.
I teach a Cloth Diapering 101 Workshop in South Jersey, and I always tell them this: Once I realized that I get TWICE the SAVINGS and DOUBLE LANDFILL REDUCTION, but with same amount of laundry work, it made CD'ing twins that much more satisfying.
P.S. We use 3 BG big inserts for overnight. ;-)
I agree with Brittany - Rockin' Green Soap! We had stink issues, but once we changed to Rockin Green, our stinkies went away. :)
Wow- am I thrilled to have seen this post. I am expectingg twins in the fall, and have a 15 month old boy..he has been in BG's since he was about 2 months old- and I was automatically planning to cd the twins too- I never thought so many people would be so negative about that (not to mention nursing twins- according to them I am insane to try)! Anyhow- I have a good system for washing and love my Charlie's Soap (no stink) so plan on increasing my stash about 20 more or so. Thanks for posting about how it CAN be done..Some of us really need the encouragement :)
We had twins in 2008, Our oldest was four I love the clean look of Fuzzibunz that's what our stash consisits of mainly and a few apple cheecks which I love for night they are wider and allow for more inserts if needed. Rockin Green has worked out great for us as well, We are still nursing before bedtime. good luck to you. We need to remember to do what works for us and not let any negative opinions sway us.
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