Hmm, Cloth Diapers

Thanks to my friend and advocate of cloth diapering, Erin, I have been able to try, for free, some methods of cloth diapering. Sunday, she brought several bags for me to test and I will have to say that the all-in-one cloth diapers are by far my favorite because their just like a disposable, except not disposable. They're all put together for you. All you have to do is rinse and wash. And their not as bulky as the other cloth diapers, especially those with the pre-folded ones. I like the snap-ez ones because you can really get a good fit around the waist and leg. And because they fasten with snaps, Moriah is less able to undo them. I wish they weren't so expensive. They average about $18-$20 a pop!

The pocket diapers can vary. Some have an absorbent layer built in, while others do not - you have to add all of the absorbent layers. You can choose to add absorbency with a pre-folded diaper, a towel or fleece, microfiber, etc.

Fitted diapers are a bit bulky, though all of the cloth diapers can tend to be. They're a little more cumbersome to secure with the water resistant cover over top. Moriah finds all the velcro quite tempting to unfasten if she's not wearing a onesie.

Erin is a big fan of the pre-folds with a diaper cover. These work very well in the daytime, though they are a little bulky in the rear. The pre-folded diapers, in general, are very bulky, but they're so cost effective. The other absorbent materials, microfleece, microfiber terry, hemp, etc. are much thinner, I would suppose, but they're so expensive.

I will have to admit that they're a lot more work than disposables. With disposables, you pay for the convenience and cleanliness for your hands. With cloth, you save money, a lot of money! if your willing to do the work. The part I really don't like about cloth is the rinse and wring in the toilet water. There are diaper sprayers, like a kitchen sink sprayer, that attaches onto the water valve behind the toilet. Perhaps one day, if we really invest in this, we'll get one, but the fact remains - your hands are in dirty water with poo and pee! I have considered disposable/flushable liners that would keep their bottoms dry and make poo more hands free.

Anyway, we have set an initial budget for this investment and perhaps later, we can pay a little more for ease and convenience. I keep trying and testing and we'll figure it out.