Try Cloth Diapers Risk Free

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

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I Pimp Out My Diapers

I am a cloth diaper addict. I am also a cloth diaper advocate. I will use any opportunity to talk about my diapers. I have a cloth diaper keychain and I try to take my cutest diapers when out and about where they might be seen.

Occasionally a friend will express interest in trying cloth diapering. Sometimes there are factors that make them hesitate, like the start up cost or a spouse that needs additional convincing. I jump on these opportunities and immediately offer to put together a “Try It” bag. In the bag I try to include a variety of types of diapers to cover at least a full 24 hours of diapering plus some. I don’t want to overwhelm them but not everyone ends up liking the same thing.

Here is a typical “Try It” bag:

  • 6 bumGenius sized aplix diapers – some people like sized diapers. And some will prefer Velcro over snaps. These diapers allow them to try both.
  • 2 Green Bees One Size Snap diapers – these diapers are inexpensive and available locally. Starting at $6 they are an affordable way to start trying pockets. I try to put a minky and a non-minky. Some people love the soft feel of minky and some think it adds bulk.
  • 1 Oh Katy One Size Snap diaper – I LOVE my Oh Katys. I only have 6 so I just put one in the bag. This is the first one size diaper I bought and the first one size that fit my tiny baby girl well.
  • 1 AI2 of unknown brand that I received as a hand me down. (There is a big white star on the butt of this black diaper and it has a snap in inner, e-mail me if you know what brand it might be!) – I want to offer the AI2 experience, but I only have a few.
  • 1 Flips cover and 3 inserts – I love my Flips and use them all the time. They are often the first diaper my husband reaches for, so I don’t loan all of them out.
  • 3 fleece liners. These happen to be homemade, but I have some that I have purchased as well. I use fleece liners at night with a Flips cover and an organic insert. I only have 3 of these, so not enough to loan out, but I often recommend trying a prefold in the Flips cover with a fleece liner over it for overnight if they need someplace to start.
  • A couple wetbags, one for the home and one for the diaper bag. These are medium size, I only have 1 large one that I keep in my laundry room and I have a lined diaper pail in our nursery, but these work for someone who is just trying it out.
  • My copy of Changing Diapers by Kelly Wels. This might be the most important part of the bag. I have been told it is extremely helpful to first time cloth diaperers. (I had been cloth diapering for a little while before I read it)
Everything packs easily in to a nice reusable tote bag for transport. If they don’t already use a cloth diaper safe detergent (and most don’t) then I also put a baggie of detergent with instructions. Yes it can be risky loaning out and letting others wash your diapers, but generally they agree to follow my very specific instructions or I offer for them to just bring them back dirty and I will wash them.

After they try it for at least a day I ask what they liked and what they didn’t. I ask if there were problems or what barriers they might still have to converting. I offer links to blogs and on-line resources and if they want I will even go with them to either of the local stores that sell cloth. I try and make the transition as easy and exciting for people as possible.

Do you loan out your diapers? If so, what goes in to your “Try It” bag? I am always looking for new ideas. I can’t afford to buy every diaper out there just so others can try it, I really wish I could! I have never sought out sponsorship, but doing this lending really makes me want to, just so I can extend my reach and influence others to try cloth diapering. Every person I can convert to cloth is that many less disposables in a landfill. Every new convert is also another supporter of an industry that values grass roots movements, small start ups and the ideas that some moms take and grow in to wonderful businesses. Just look at Oh Katy and Cotton Babies.

Somer S. Johnson is an accountant in Tulsa, OK who is lucky enough to get to work from home so she can spend time with her new baby girl. She blogs about life, knitting, and her precious little one at http://knit-o-matic.blogspot.com.

5 comments:

Clothmom1 said...

I pimp out my diapers too!!!
I give people that I know a sample of each diaper I own (unless I need it). It's why my stash is so big and varried and I also give detergent and Kelly Wels book. I'm so glad that I am not the only crazy cloth diaper lady on the planet- just the only one in this city. LOL.

Emily said...

What an awesome way to get others into cloth! I've offered a few to friends, and have offered to have friends over to see our set up. I think I have enough to set up a "try it" bag, maybe I'll give it a try. Good for you! What a way to make a difference!

Sharon D said...

That's an interesting idea to make a try it bag for a friend. Wish I knew more people in my area who cloth that I could get one from. I am new to cloth, will be starting with baby due in a few weeks. What do you suggest to diaper baby with from the start? I have started collecting some pockets and AIOs but I'm concerned that they won't fit baby right away. I keep hearing prefolds and thirties covers are they way to go, we don't have any of those yet. Is that what you would suggest? Your advice would be helpful.

Heather said...

I have been very curious about cloth diapers, but am just unsure of where to start or what brand to try out first. I wish stores or somewhere sold a sample pack of a few different kinds for new moms to try. Is there a particular brand/style that you recommend and have heard the majority of moms enjoy most?

Knit-O-Matic said...

Heather & Sharon - I didn't know where to start either so I just dove in head first. It was a little crazy, but so much fun. My little girl was only 6lbs 6oz at birth so the first diapers to fit her were actually the bumgenius XS AIOs. I am not a prefolds and covers type person (although I can rock Flips, so maybe its a mental thing) With a tiny newborn I had too much else to do to worry about learning to fold prefolds, so I think tiny AIOs are the way to go if you can afford it. Also, the first one size diapers to fit my little one were Oh Katy's and they get really tiny. So if you are looking for a one size pocket diaper that will fit early and fit for a long time, give those a try. They come in such pretty colors too, I wish I could have bought all the colors.