Surviving Cloth Diapers

Not everyone believes they are capable of cloth diapering, and as much as I told myself that I had the guts to do it, reality is that it is something that I have struggled with. It can be hard at times! So here it is; “My Not So Obvious, Crucial But Not Necessary, But Really Totally Imperative Pointers To Cloth Diapering”. Or, “Surviving Cloth Diapers”.

1. Get ones that you think are cute and you really like. There will come a time when cloth diapering will be exhausting and you just wont want to do it. It helps when you have cute diapers that you are excited about, that way you enjoy it and don’t go back to using disposables.
2. Pick one or two brands that you love and stick with them. It’s okay to try a bunch of diapers out at first but try to weed out the brands you aren’t the craziest about. There are a couple of reasons for this, the first being that for caregivers and significant others it’s just easier to learn how to put on one type of diaper. The more styles you have the more confusing it becomes. The second reason is; if you are like me, you might get a little obsessed. If you only have one or two brands you stick with, you will be less tempted to buy all the diapers ever made “just because you like the print or color or the texture”. Once I switched to Applecheeks for the daytime I was significantly less tempted to buy new releases from other companies and it’s helped my wallet a ton.
3. Hook-and-loop for nighttime is a dream. I don’t know about you, but I mainly change my little one’s diaper in the dark and half asleep. Snaps can be complicated in situations like that and the moment I switched to bumGenius hook-and-loop the task didn’t seem too daunting anymore.
4. Prefolds are amazing. They are absorbent and all natural fibers so they wash really well. I tried several nighttime solutions and the best was a prefold stuffed in a pocket. They can be a little bulky for a daytime solution when stuffed in a pocket, but are super nice for heavy wetters.
5. Get at least two pail liners and three small wetbags. I only have one pail liner and I never know what to do with all the diapers when it’s being washed and dried. I also feel like I could never have too many small wetbags for on the go. I don’t use them every time, but when I do, I always wish I had at least three.
6. Find other mommies who cloth diaper. If others are excited about it, you’ll most likely stay excited about it. When you need help or pointers, it’s great to talk to someone who is either going through the same challenges or has already been there and can help you out. A support system is great. Luckily Kelly’s Closet has a pretty great one on facebook. You should join!

7. Those disposable liners just might save your life. Okay, maybe not literally, but they have helped me. I’m not the biggest fan of the poop, and my toilet isn’t compatible with a diaper sprayer. For me, they are a necessity and I love them. So, if you are really turned off by the idea of dealing with poop, get the liners. I personally use the Grovia Bioliners as they are the biggest bang for your buck.
8. Get a pale with a lid and add a lock. The lid helps keep out the smell and the lock helps keep out that pesky curious baby of yours.
9. A simple wash routine is the best routine. Seriously. Find what works for you but for the majority of people it involves: a cold rinse, a hot/warm wash with detergent, and another cold rinse. Hang to dry or tumble dry your inserts. That’s it. No “wash 5 times in a witch’s cauldron on the sixth full moon of the year with the tears of a unicorn and the carcass of a wasp.” Just do what the manufacturer recommends, and you should be fine.

There you have it. Hopefully this can help you in your journey too. Don’t worry, it gets hard at times but it will be worth it in the end. Keep up the good work mama!

Bio: Britni is a stay at home mom of a wonderful little boy. She spends much of her time swimming and playing in the sun. You can follow her blog at aandbwing.blogspot.com


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