Why I Used Cloth Diapers and Why I Ditched Them (The Pros and Cons of Cloth Diapers)

When Heidi was a baby, I was determined to be all crunchy-granola type mom.  I do extended breastfeeding, make my own baby food, avoid unnecessary medications, natural remedies, natural childbirth, baby wearing...the whole she-bang.  Part of that is cloth diapers, of course. Except when Heidi was a baby, we lived in a apartment and didn't have a washer/dryer, so I didn't use cloth at first.  However, when we moved into our own house with a washer/dryer when she was around 20 months, I eagerly invested in cloth diapers and used them ever since. Until I stopped.

I used them because they were cheaper, cuter, environmentally friendly and more natural. I even belonged to this whole cloth diapering playgroup.  Why there was a whole playgroup centered around cloth diapers, I will never know.  But, I did meet some nice moms through it. 

And I kept using them through the rest of the kids. Until I stopped recently after using them for several months with Annika.  Here's why. 

First the pros:

Cloth is cheaper:  Cloth diapers can definitely save money, especially if you use them for more than one child and pass them down.

Cloth is more natural:  I mean, I'm not really sure what is inside disposable diapers, but whatever it is it is not natural because it can hold a ton of pee and not smell and still keep the baby dry. That's gotta be some weird chemical stuff. 

Cloth is cuter: Honestly, I think this is what draws a lot of people towards cloth.  Cloth diapers come in all sorts of cute patterns and colors.  Mommy likes to place dress-up with the baby. 

Cloth is better for the environment: Probably anyway.  They say disposable diapers end up in the landfill for like a gazillion years.  So even with the extra washing and energy, it still probably comes out ahead of disposable diapers. 

Now the cons:

Cloth is more work:  And, I don't just mean the work of washing diapers.  Although there is that.  But the work of changing diapers.  Cloth diapers need to be changed VERY frequently. As in as soon as the baby pees in it one time.  For some babies (like mine) that could be just about every 30 minutes.  Two hours is probably the maximum. This can be rather annoying, especially when you are out and about.   And forget about overnight.  You have to put SO MUCH CLOTH on a baby to last overnight (especially if the baby is nursing all night).  SO MUCH.  As in the diaper ends up being SUPER THICK and probably uncomfortable. I gave up night-time cloth diapers very quickly.  For years, I had a happy compromise of using cloth during the day and disposables at night and when out of the house. I did that for most of my kids. 

Even still, I would say that I would change on average 10-12 cloth diapers a day as opposed to 5-6 disposable diapers.  So that's about double the number of diaper changes.  

Cloth leaks: I've never had a disposable diaper leak pee.  I have had a few blow-outs in disposable diapers, but never really had one leak pee.  Cloth diapers on the other hand leak frequently.  And since my babies basically nurse all day long, they also pee all day long, which means each day usually involved at least 1 outfit change due to diaper leaks because I would forget and go longer than 60-90 minutes in between changes.  Sometimes I would change 2-3 diapers an hour.

Cloth stinks: When I used cloth, I had enough diapers to last several days between washing.  I could easily go 4-5 days...that's how large my stash was.  However, that also meant that the dirty diapers were sitting around for several days in the diaper pail.  It just didn't smell good.  It wasn't that there was anything wrong with my diapers.just that any pee-soaked cloth is going to stink after a day or so, especially when you are talking about an older baby.

Cloth is more complicated:  This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a factor. There are many different types and styles of cloth diapers and different people have different preferences.   Sometimes it can take a bit of experimenting to see what you like.  Plus, different types of inserts/diapers go with different covers/pockets.  Over the years I had accumulated quite a large stash (mostly given to me by other cloth diaper drop-outs).  It was all fine when I was changing the baby because I knew what goes with what, but if someone less familiar tried to change the baby.  Well, let's just say there were a few times the baby was dressed in two fitted diapers and no cover or some other mishap that resulted in diaper malfunction.

Cloth is bulky.  When she's wearing cloth, the answer is yes.

Why I ditched the cloth: I just recently stopped using my cloth diapers and went all sposie with Annika.  The main reason being the leaks and increased number of diaper changes. I just couldn't deal with it anymore.  I figured I had done my dues to save the earth and I just needed a break from changing diapers every hour.  I was also tired of dealing with the stink from the diaper pail.   And I no longer feel like we are in a place where I feel so financially strapped to stretch every single penny.  So, I'm giving myself a break for awhile. 

I will likely bring the cloth out again when it comes time for potty-training. I'm a fan of doing it early and i find that cloth does make potty-training easier. 

What about you?  Do you use cloth diapers?  Have you tried them? Did you stick with it?

Any hey look, it's Sunday.  So I figured I would link up with Rosie for My Sunday Best.

It's in the 60's today, even though it's February, which is why Elsa is wearing a summer dress. Here is what Elsa, Annika and I wore today. 

Then Ben decided to get in the picture, so now we have a nice family picture minus the three older kids, who are much less cooperative when it comes to picture taking,

7 Things I Don't Buy and 1 Thing I Do (7QTF).

Once upon a time we had fewer kids and more money.   It's a long, sad story, our move from lower middle class to upper middle class to total poverty (law school) and then back up to lower middle class.   And, I'll tell ya something...it's actually hardest in the middle.  One good thing though, is that over the years and through all that movement, I've learned a thing or two about frugality. 

The easiest way to be frugal is to just not buy stuff.  Seriously...just don't buy it.  It's easier to just not buy stuff than it is to coupon or shop sales or go bargain hunting.   Most of the time, you don't even miss it, and it's easy enough to find a way to do without. Plus, stuff annoys me.  It clutters up my house and takes up space. 

So here are 7 things I don't buy and 1 thing I do.   And, since there are 7 of them, I'll just link up with Jen from Conversion Diary for 7QTF.

1.  Baby food  

I just feed my babies little bits and bites of whatever we are eating and it's all good.  They learn to like lots of different textures and learn to handle "chunks" of food a bit earlier, which I like to think makes them at a lower risk of choking because they become more adept at handling food in their mouth at an earlier age.  I like to think that anyway.  And, it saves a ton of money, because those little bits of food are basically negligible when it comes to increasing our grocery bill.

2.

Paper Towels

We just use cloth towels for cleaning....throw then in the wash when dirty and then re-use.  Works just as well as paper towels and savers a ton of money....especially for me.  Because I know myself....I am a paper towel waster....the type of person to use 4 paper towels when one would do. It's easier to just not use them at all.  I'm also a toilet paper waster, but don't worry,  I'm  NOT going to give up toilet paper. 

3.

Body Skin Stuff

We don't use any skin lotions or moisturizers or anything like that.  My personal theory is that they are all make your skin drier, hence requiring more moisturizer or lotion...it's a conspiracy I tell ya.  Plus, they are horrible for you and contain all sorts of carcinogens and other bad stuff.  The same goes for chapstick.   Chapstick actually makes your lips drier.  Plus, I'm a bit of a hippie, so I tend to shy away from that stuff anyway...although I do use shampoo and deodorant (although I make my own) and I swear, I also shave...so I'm not totally completely out there, I promise. 

4.

Baby Wipes

I just use small washcloths with water and it works just as well as actual baby wipes, with a lot less expense. and no nasty chemicals. I just throw them in the wash with the cloth diapers and it's all good.  Plus, I'm a baby wipe waster, so it's easier for me to just not buy them.  

5.

Processed/Convenience Food Anything

This is as much for health reasons as it is for frugality.  We don't eat hardly any processed food.  It's just as easy to make our own BBQ or Honey Mustard sauce or Taco Seasoning or Spice Rub or whatever else.   And with a little bit of practice and advance planning it's really not all that hard to make our own snacks and pizza and macaroni and cheese and whatever. The only exceptions are I do buy bread (I find that making my own doesn't actually save money and takes too much time, even accounting for buying the more expensive, healthier brands of bread) and gluten-free pasta and the occasional splurge of gluten-free crackers (because I've just never been able to master making crackers).

6.

Kid's Clothes

Okay, I wouldn't say that I NEVER buy kid's clothes, but it's very, very, very rare for me.   Through a combination of saving clothes to pass down and very generous friends who've given us hand me downs, I've very rarely needed to buy kid's clothes....and almost never for Greta or John or Elsa.  I have had to buy more stuff for Heidi...mostly because she was the oldest and because she was always really big for her age and grew at a super fast rate, so she outgrew clothes much quicker than the other kids do.  For the younger three though...I've very rarely had to buy anything...only really shoes and underwear.   If you don't have friend's willing to pass down clothes...make some.  Seriously...get the word out there that you're looking for kid's clothes and I bet you'll soon be inundated with way more than you can use.   

7. 

Feminine Hygiene Products. 

Okay, I'm sure this is too much information...and any guys reading this,...just stop reading now.  Just stop...you've been warned..   Several years ago, I got into "mama cloth" which is basically cloth pads.  I find them to be way more comfortable, and I *think* they may actually help reduce flow heaviness and cramps.  Can't swear by it, but since I've started using them...I almost never get cramps and have lighter flow...when I actually need them that is. Ecological breastfeeding greatly reduces the amount of the time I actually need any sort of product at all. 

The One Thing I Do Buy:  Disposable diapers because I value my sleep.  Now, we do use cloth diapers most of the time, but I use one disposable diaper a day...or should I say night.  The cloth just can't hold an entire night's worth of pee from a nursing all night baby, but the sposies can.  And, I refuse to get up in the middle of the night and change diapers, so sposies it is, at least overnight until babe gets night-weaned.

And, those are my 7 things I don't buy.  What are some things YOU don't buy ?