Cloth Diapers

Lately I have been bragging a lot about my love for cloth diapers, and my happiness in the decision I made to CD with Layla. Now that we have been CDing for two months, and are finally out of the disposable diapers we bought during Hurricane Sandy, we are exclusively CDing. The time has come for me to write a little bit about it.

I will start by saying that cloth diapering does not look like it used to:

In fact, my Grandma often says that I am not allowed to call it cloth diapering, because it is so much better and easier than it was back in her day. I love you Grandma, but whatever, it is CDing for this generation.

I am not going to review the products I use in this post, that will happen the next time I get both kids to sleep at the same time. I am simply going to talk about it for all of my friends who have been asking.

There are many different kinds of CDs. I have chosen to use All in One (AIO) and Hybrid (AI2) diapers. Between the two types of diapers I have 50 diapers. I also have two diaper bags, which are a cool and convenient version of the diaper pail, two wet bags (think of them as travel diaper pails), a diaper sprayer, a diaper ointment stick and All Free and Clear detergent.

Those things are all I have and need to cloth diaper for two plus years. Most of the diapers are one size, so they adjust and grow with Layla until she is potty trained.

Thirsties AIO diaper. This is what CDs look like these days.

So how do you CD? Well, first you research (and ask your awesome mom friends, ahem, Erin and Katie), then you buy the diaper stash and necessary accessories. Some diapers require "prepping" which means you wash them a bunch of times before they become absorbent enough for use. Many diaper companies sell special diaper detergent, I haven't tried them yet because the free and clear that I used before I started making my own detergent works just fine. I am also cloth wiping, but being the frugal gal that I am I bought cheap target baby wash cloths instead of the cloth wipes sold by diaper companies.

Once the diapers are ready you put them on the baby and let the baby "go" in them. I am kind of laughing at myself for writing that, but most people literally ask how I use the diapers, not how I take care of them, which is what I think most people really mean.

The diaper pail. There are a ton of diaper pails out there, but I chose to go the route of the hanging diaper bag. It is a washable bag that holds about 20 dirty diapers. It hangs on the back of the bathroom door in our home. If the diaper is only wet I just toss the diaper in the hanging pail. If the diaper is dirty then I spray the poop off into the toilet with the diaper sprayer, then toss the diaper in the pail. Simple.

So I mentioned that I have to use certain detergent to wash the diapers so they don't get a buildup of chemicals which would make the diapers less absorbent. I also have to use special diaper ointment when Layla needs it. There are many different kinds, but I chose to use the Magic Stick from GroVia. At first the thought of using an ointment stick grossed me out, but now that I have it and don't actually have to get diaper ointment on my hands I love it. Picture a fat chapstick for the baby's butt and you will know what I am talking about. It keeps Layla's hiney nice and shiny, and is safe for the diapers.

FAQs

Isn't is gross? Not at all. Changing diapers isn't the most fun task, whether cloth or disposable, but it is part of having babies. I would rather spray off the poopy diapers and toss them into the pail then scrub and stain remove poop from all of Layla's clothes. Disposable diapers leak all the time. If your baby has an explosion then the disposable diaper will leak 9 times out of 10. Cloth diapers do not leak. Layla is an exclusively breastfed pooping machine and her CDs have only leaked twice, both times were due to my husband and I putting the diaper on wrong. My favorite thing about the CDs is that they do not leak. Her clothes are stain free, which is nice because girl clothes are so cute!

Doesn't she get rashes easily? NO! Layla hasn't had a rash since we started CDing. It is true that you will change your baby more often in CDs, that is because they don't have the gross chemicals that make the disposable diapers feel dry when they are wet. Honestly, you should change your baby as soon as he or she wets anyway. If you know me, then you know I am very diligent about changing my babies diapers. I would be changing Layla just as much if she were in a disposable diaper.

How often do you wash them? It is recommended to wash the diapers after two days in the pail. Sometimes I do a load a day, sometimes I go two days, it depends on my mood and how many diapers we have been using. I then put them in the dryer for about 10-20 minutes on low heat, then line dry. It doesn't take a lot of time, and like I said before, I am not cleaning poop stains off of Layla's clothes, so I think I am probably saving time.

Why did you decide to CD? Well, after my son was born in 2010 I started turning into a bit of a tree hugging hippy. I started using fewer chemicals in my home and continue to try to use natural products. I decided that I think disposable diapers are kind of gross, and I didn't like having chemicals so close to my sons tush. I decided when we had another baby that we would make the investment in CDs. I was thrilled when I researched and found out that I would actually SAVE money by CDing. All of the products that I said we use cost less than $500. The only thing that will need to be replenished is the laundry detergent and the diaper ointment. It doesn't hurt that CDs are good for the environment. CDs are just good all around for our family. It also helps that they are so stinking cute!!

Layla in a GroVia AIO

The picture above isn't the best, the diaper looks huge on Layla, but this type is actually pretty trim under her clothes. It is adjustable, so it should fit her until she potty trains. I actually used a GroVia diaper as Danny's swim diaper in the Summer, so I am pretty confident that Lay will fit the diapers when she is two as well.

Layla in a GroVia AI2

I love that I am saving money, I never run out of diapers, I am keeping her precious skin away from chemicals, helping to conserve materials and not adding to landfills, while keeping Layla's tush in adorable colors and prints :).

1st baby | 2nd baby

There are countless differences between the 1st baby and the 2nd baby. Here are some of the ones that stand out to me.

Sleep issues
When the 1st baby wont sleep in his or her own bed you stay up all night "working on it." When the 2nd baby wont sleep in his or her own bed you bring the baby to bed with you. Probably because by the time the 1st baby was six-months old you gave in and brought the baby to your bed. The second one doesn't need six-months to wear you down, you are already worn.

The play-mat
The 1st baby doesn't use the play-mat till he/she is about three-months old. You just don't put him/her down long enough to try it. The 2nd baby is playing on the play-mat at two-weeks-old. He/she has probably been sat or stepped on by one-month.

Not-so-breakable
 This one might be the most important. I believe my husband and I treated our son, our sweet first born like glass. Our daughter, not so much. I mean, we are very careful with her, she hasn't be dropped yet, but our son has pretty much almost killed her several times. When she was a week old Danny drove his fire truck off the coffee table onto her face, while she slept in the Moses basket. He has jumped on her, hit her, rolled on her etc. She has cried, but she hasn't broken. Had we known how tough babies are we might have tossed Danny around a little more ;)

I am sure as time goes on I will notice more BIG differences between the first kid and second kid, but two things will NOT change no matter how many kids I have. They will be nursed until they quit on their own free will, and they will be in a rear facing carseat until they can no longer physically fit in the carseat while turned around :)