Why doesn't everyone do this?

[Brandi]

Cloth diapering, that is. It's just so easy! She leaks at times, but way less than when we used sposies on Carter. She hasn't leaked ANY poops at all! Carter's poops went up the back of the diaper and all over him almost every single time he pooped, which was a lot. Overcoming the stink problem was the hardest part and I'm not totally sure we are over it completely, but I think we are on the right track.

Here's what works for us:
Front loader
* cold wash with 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 tblsp. Arm and Hammer powder detergent
* 2 cold rinses
* Hot wash with 1 Tblsp. SportWash and 1/2 capful of TTO
* 2 cold rinses
* 2 warm rinses ( I tried vinegar in this rinse, but it is giving the diapers a very pungent smell, so no more vinegar)

I know it's a lot of rinsing, but it's working.

[Cortney]

For the same reason everyone doesn't feed the same way, birth the same way, etc. :awink:

And just for the record, OF COURSE I think everyone should CD!!!! :lol:

[Cortney]

Oh yeah- what are you using on Heather??

[~Andrea~]

Funny you should mention the stink issue. I think quite the opposite. :lol: I think Gabrielle's diapers smell way worse with the disposables than the cloth. I miss the cloth, but not the laundry. My washer is too small and I couldn't get them clean enough without doing several loads each time or washing everyday. It was easier when she was smaller.

[Karri]

I was just reading b/c I find it informative. I can tell you my reason for not CD (since I thought about it long as hard after we figured out how much we spend on diapers :eek: ) ...laundry. I do 12-13 loads a week. I cant imagine doing more :lol:
Anyway --- kudos to y'all :aok:

[Shanna]

Yup... I tried to start CD with the twins, but gave up very quickly b/c as a working mom, A. daycare isn't very receptive; B. laundry is a PITA with 3 kids and 2 adults; C. startup costs are high for a family living paycheck to paycheck. :nod: That said, I have 3 Fuzzibuns and a bunch of soakers to get rid of :lol:

[Alyssa]

I was just reading b/c I find it informative. I can tell you my reason for not CD (since I thought about it long as hard after we figured out how much we spend on diapers :eek: ) ...laundry. I do 12-13 loads a week. I cant imagine doing more :lol:
Anyway --- kudos to y'all :aok:Same here - just curious...but I have all the same reasoning as Karri! I'd like to say I'd give it a shot w/ #3...but I just don't see it happening for us. Then again, it would cut down on our need to go to the dump...but that's DH's job where mine is laundry. :)

I do think it's great though for those who choose this for their family.

[Carla]

nak...It's great that you're loving it Brandi!!

I think it's the best, especially with two in diapers. I do a load a day (sometimes every other), I just throw them in for a single wash cycle, throw them in the dryer and hang up some of the covers on a rack; don't need to fold them or anything. Takes about 10 minutes of my time. No leaks, no stink, same amount of time to change and it saves us tons :) Plus it's so cute :supergrin:

(ps, I did 5 loads of laundry yesterday alone so I know how crappy laundry can be :nod: but diapers are fun for some reason. Sunday is the only day I don't do laundry.)

[Kate]

I cloth diapered Cameron when I was a SAHM. Now that I am working I just don't have the time. At this point I do two loads of laundry a night and that is just keeping up with it. If I had to do more than that I don't know what I would do.

I really did have fun doing it when I had the time. I sometimes think about having a diaper service, so that way I don't have to wash the diapers.

[Karri]

Plus it's so cute :supergrin
ITA ---I can't believe the cute cloth diaper covers or AIOs that are out there!!! Its almost a shame to get your kid dressed :lol:

[Jayne]

I think it is great for those who CD. I wanted to in the worst way but as someone said..the start up costs are really rough on someone living pay check to pay check and..at the time of Alyssa's birth..I didn't have a washer and dryer :lol:

Jayne

[Brandi]

WOW! Tons of responses!

First of all, let me say I LOVE CDing. It's a lot of fun, especially when my friends are like "hey, what's that? I didn't know cloth diapers looked like that!" Well, I didn't either and then I started seeing people talk about it here on OUAL. I think it's great.

Here's why I like it:
Diapers hold poop GREAT! Not one poop leak yet.
Don't have to go to the store to get diapers all the time - you never run out (well, unless you don't do the laundry)
I really don't mind doing diaper laundry - have no clue why, since I really dislike doing laundry in general.
Cute diapers, although, I don't have many cute ones.
You have to put them in a trash can or somewhere just as you do with a disposable, so there really isn't any more work in changing a diaper.
You don't have to deal with that darned Diaper Genie :)
When you are done with the diapers, you can sell them on ebay or wherever for almost as much as you bought them for. Also good for swaps :)

Here's some negatives:
Cloth doesn't hold as much as disposables
expensive start up cost
you have to find some place to put the dirty ones when you are out - I just put them in a dirties bag and then make sure I empty the bag when I get home. I have forgotten the dirties bag at home though and that's not good.
You can run out if you don't do the laundry - good to have some disposables on hand (although, I've never used one on her other than in the hospital)


Cortney - we are using mostly fuzzi bunz on Heather, but I think I might try some new ones. I'm not sure what I want to try though. We have some Kissaluv contours which are okay, but they just don't hold enough anymore and are getting to be a little small for her. I've also tried LizCloth fitteds and they are pretty good. I have a few others that a friend let me borrow. I still like the Fuzzi Bunz the best with the Joeybunz hemp inserts. They hold the most. I have some small that are too small for her. Then I have some other smalls that are just fine on her. The smaller ones I got from someone used and I don't really know why they are a bit smaller than the new ones I bought. I wonder if they can shrink in the wash or something.

I can understand why some people wouldn't want to do cloth if they have more kids. That would be a lot of work. I do diapers every other day usually and it's a long process. I do so many rinses because we have a front loader and it just doesn't use much water.

Shanna - what size are your FBs? I may want to try to get some more smalls or maybe even some mediums. Not sure yet.

I didn't mean to offend anyone who doesn't cd. I never even gave it a thought with Carter. I thought it was way too much work. I almost didn't try it with Heather either. It is so much less work than I thought. But, I know it's not right for everyone. I just think it's a lot easier than I though it would be.

[Shanna]

Brandi, my girls can still BARELY wear them at 12 months :nod: I got them from ~Jenn on here :) One is a lavendar/purple color, one is yellow and I have a white one as well :)

[Susan]

I think many people are afraid of it... they think it's stinky, it's too much work, etc. As a SAHM I *do* have the luxury of doing laundry at whatever time of day I need to. And I admit that with the wash time (60 minutes with all the rinses) and then drying time (inserts in the dryer, FBs hung to dry) even though it's not a lot of *work* per se, it does take time. But I love not having to spend a ton of money on disposables, and love not having the waste of the disposables.

Josiah has been in medium fuzzi buns for a long time now. Since 4 months of age, and he's now almost 17 months. My inserts are getting worn out - I think I'll have to buy new ones soon. :lol: