Cloth diapers may have a high startup cost but it is very much worth every dollar. It is not too much trouble at all for the storage and clean up of dirty diapers.
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INFANT STAGE
* The kids used "infant prefolds" just a piece of cloth that you fold in half and then you have an outer breathable/ waterproof wrap. Velcro wears out so I like the snaps better, but I have some of each. AJ (16 months) was still using these cuz he has small pees.
* Oddly enough, I never had a problem with explosive or leaking baby poo with cloth. It's the pampers/ huggies whatever that always leaked poo up the back or down the sides. haha. Maybe cloth tends to aborb or package things better I don't know.
*Best brands - for the infant age, cuz they need to changed so frequently, my method of infant prefolds and wraps is perfect. You can buy 30 prefolds for about $40; whereas each all in one Fuzzi Bunz (a very good brand) would cost $25 each one. You would need alot alot to last two or three days if you didn't want to do diaper laundry everyday!
TODDLERS
* I also have large cloth diapers that resemble the shape of a pampers with velcro fasteners, just like a pampers. Outer wrap also required. These are appropriate for Maggie-size pees (2.5 y) but she refuses to wear cloth diapers, so she is on pampers now.
NIGHTTIME OR OUT
* We used Pampers at night and also when we go out, but there was a time when I carried around a plastic bag to keep all the dirty cloth diapers at the park, the mall, church, someone's house. ew!!!!
BRAND NEW OR USED?
* Buying USED is a very smart thing to do. There is nothing wrong with that, even buying from a stranger. Who cares, it's all natural stuff, just wash it real good (again) before you use it. Though check the original price and see if the used price is fair.
* Forget about the hype of "organic cotton" whatever. I have four of those and it's not like it has any super properties except for being more expensive.
* Now on hindsight, maybe I should've stuck to one brand or one type. I have so many different kinds of "large cloth" diapers that Brian gets confused how to install them. However the good thing is they were kind of "all sizes" so Maggie and AJ both used them interchangeably
WASH AND CARE
* I have a sanitary mode on my new front load washer, which washes for with Super Hot water for 1:50h Things come out super clean and there is no residual smell!
* I used to run a rinse cycle first (about 20minutes) to wash away residual pee and poo stains. Then I would run a regular wash cycle with soap. Then just throw everything in the dryer, no bounce sheets.
In the summer you can hang dry things in the sun.
* Store the dirty diapers in a dry pail, no soaking. Grandma Tang kept telling me to rinse and wring out the diapers before putting in the pail, but it's not really necessary just extra work, though I suppose there is a higher compression rate to fit more in the pail?
* For real poo, you can roll it out or toss it in the toilet to flush away, obviously.
* For breastmilk poo it's totally water soluble and barely stinks. Looks like dijon mustard. haha!
PAMPERS vs. COMPETITORS
* I personally prefered Pampers cuz they seemed to fit better and there are pampers points. 100 points and you can exchange for a $10 gift of something on www.pampers.ca
* Huggies, alot of coupons available but I just found the shape didn't work for Maggie as well
* Costco brand, extreme absorption! Holy cow they get so ballooned and full of pee and Maggie still insists, "It's dry!!" So I suppose if it's time for toilet training you would want something that actually feels wet. Good price.
* Presidents Choice brand is pretty good. I bought them cuz I was in a bind, and I saw they were on sale, plus AJ likes dinosaurs.
COST BREAKDOWN
I should've done some real cost analysis, but I think I spent about $120 + $120+ $40 + $100 on cloth diapers, plus I got some for gifts so $30 + $40 that would be the total cost of cloth for Maggie and AJ. I bought two Motherease wraps and insert on special for $19.99 each. If we have more kids it will be even more worth it!
In 2012, because Lincoln was a chubbier baby and the washing machine destroyed alot of the organic cotton ones, I bought a giant stash of GroBaby used for $70. Additional wraps here are there used for $10, and then Grandma bought two Cushie wraps for $10 each.
I haven't officially done the math, but I think the cost of Pampers would be $39 per week if not more! With four kids, think of how many years and concurrent years that would be for disposal diapers! Someone said 15 cents each at the lowest estimate.
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