Cloth diapers

Yes. We've taken the plunge.  Cloth diapers.  It's something I've been wanting to try but never knew how to go about it or really knew many people who used cloth diapers.  Since moving here, though I've met several other mommies who cloth diaper and they loved it, so I thought we'd give it a try...

I researched of course.  I spent probably HOURS online looking at articles, reading reviews, seeing all the different kinds there are.  My biggest concern was getting Nic on board with me, but that was surprisingly easy.  My 2 main reasons for wanting to use cloth diapers are: less smelly trash and save money.  And Nic was all about saving money so he said "go for it."

 I spent a total $150 on cloth diapers supplies for Colton (I could have spent less, but was also thinking of new baby) and I did the math... if Colton was potty trained tomorrow (I wish) and only used them at night, we would STILL be saving money (assuming he used one pull up a day). Given we might only be saving between $50-100....but since he's not potty trained and we go through SEVERAL diapers a day (he would take them off all the time, and I couldn't put a half soaked diaper on him, so I would put a new one on, not to mention he would just happen to poop in a new diaper), it's probably safe to assume we'll save at least a 2-3 hundred bucks over the next two years - and thats not including what we'll save when we share what we have with the new baby (I'll still need to buy more though, which I'll get to later).....

Anyway, more plus sides:  Colton can't take these cloth diapers off very easily ( so I don't feel like I'm constantly putting a new diaper on him), they're super absorbant and I got the cotton inserts so he FEELS wet - hoping it will help with the potty training, and he looks so adorable in them!!

Anyway, I know you're just dying to know what kind I got....I got the Flip system.  It's a one size diaper cover that snaps to fit 8lbs-35lbs and you use inserts inside it - which you wash & you can just wipe out the cover and resuse it.  There are two different kinds of inserts: cotton organic and stay-dry.  The cotton organic, which I got for Colton, are more absorbant and don't have a fleeze layer to wick away the wet feeling.  The Stay dry have the fleece layer.  Now you could probably save even more money by not buying their inserts and just fold pre-folds to use as inserts, but we decided to pay the extra money to have ones we know work well with the system and are trim - we don't want Colton to not be able to move because of bulk!

We bought 2 covers (which came with 2 cotton inserts) and 12 more inserts, a small wetbag (to hold used inserts when we're out and about) and a large wetbag (to hold used inserts when we're at home), and a cloth swim diaper - we go to the beach so much that buying disposable swim diapers was getting a bit much.  I probably didn't need to get as many cotton inserts as I did, but we're going to be using them for the new baby at the same time as Colton, so that's why we have a total of 14 inserts.

But 14 won't be enough for the two of them... I remember once changing Colton's diaper 6 times in one hour!  So I know we'll need more.  So this is my plan for the new baby (subject to change): 4 covers (with 4 stay dry inserts), 12 stay dry inserts, 1 dozen birds eye  flat folds (to cut up and sew edges to use as wipes) and 2 6-pack of stay-dry liners (to use with the cotton inserts on the new baby) and one snappi (used to secure a prefold like a diaper before disposables, just in case the cover is too big for the baby, so it doesn't leak) and one large wetbag.  That will total about $170.  This set along with what I have for Colton, should see us through the new baby being potty trained.  So that's a toal of $320.  Instead of the $1000-$2000 we would be spending on the new baby alone, from birth - potty trained. 


Of course, there's you water bill, but from what I've read it doesn't change enough to notice and since we live on base, we don't pay for our water.  So that leaves just detergent - which you're only supposed to use half of what they recommend, so I don't forsee a big added difference there.  So now, it's just a matter of actually washing the inserts (and covers every once and a while) 3 times a week.  I don't think that's that big of a deal, especially since we have one floor, so I won't be going up and down stairs all the time. 

SO.... all in all, I'm very excited for this desicsion and I am glad to NEVER have to buy a diaper again in my life!! As long as I have a washing machine, we're good :-)

Check out this website for more information: http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=139&products_id=2158

(You can also buy one size, all in one diapers - bumgenius 4.0, which we would have gotton for convience if we had started this on Colton when he was an infant, or when Maximus was born.  It's more pricey, but if you use it for all your kids, then the price doesn't matter....and you would still be saving money if you only used them on one child.  A good kit for a new born would probably cost about $500.  We're just going an even cheaper route since this new baby might be the last....)