Cloth Diapers: 4 months in

Before Flynn was born, I was super excited to cloth diaper. Then, immediately after he was born, I was very apprehensive about our decision to cloth diaper. But, like anything, it just took some time to develop a routine. 

[Does this make my butt look big?]

We exclusively used disposable diapers until all the meconium had passed and his circumcision healed. Flynn was swimming in his FuzziBunz one size diapers at 8 pounds, but after using them for a week, I was hooked. We did, and still do, put him in a disposable diaper at night because they are more absorbent. Unless he poops, we don't change him. It makes nights quieter if he's not rudely awoken by a diaper change before or after a feeding. Quieter nights = happier mommy & daddy.

[Flynn in a disposable from Goods Store in Amish country. They also sell cloth diapers!]

Even before transitioning to cloth diapers, we switched from disposable to cloth wipes. Best. Decision. Ever. We have specially designed cloth wipes, and also regular wash cloths from Target. The special cloth wipes are smaller and ideal for quick clean-ups, while the wash cloths come in handy for, uh, larger messes. They go right into the wash with the cloth diapers and nothing has stained or smells.

I don't want to bore you any longer, so let me just jump right into my list of pros and cons of cloth diapering. Keep in mind, I'm going off of my experience with one type of cloth diaper, FuzziBunz One Size Pocket Diapers. I have heard great things about other brands, including G Diapers & BumGenius, and there are many more out there! Amazon sells almost every brand and all the cloth diapering accessories you could ever need. Or you can find local shops and support them if you're into that kinda thing.

CONS:

- Up-front cost. You're going to be like, I'm spending HOW MUCH at one time on diapers? Ahhh! Sanity check: they are the only diapers you will ever need to buy.

- Extra laundry. If you don't have a washer & dryer in your house, you probably shouldn't cloth diaper. Just saying. You will be doing a few extra loads of laundry a week, depending on how many diapers are in your stash (we have 12, and would ideally like 15). And you will be doing extra rinse cycles to prevent detergent build-up if you have hard water like we do. However, there is so much extra laundry with a baby anyways... what are a few more loads?

- Not as absorbent as disposables. This is true. They're not. And it's because they don't contain chemicals that absorb which can be harmful to your baby. Cloth diapers rely only on natural fibers to absorb liquid. When Flynn recently starting peeing more, his diapers started leaking and now I double up on inserts. Hemp inserts and even old school cotton pre-folds are awesome. A little more stuffing and washing, that's all.

- Takes a while to get the right fit. It's not just "velcro & go." There are lots of snaps and adjustable elastic. However, this enables the diapers to fit your baby from birth through potty training. I adjusted the leg elastic two times so far on all the diapers (it's a little tedious) and the snaps are simple to adjust at each diaper change once you get the hang of it.

- Added bulk. "I like big butts and I cannot lie..." I find myself singing this to Flynn sometimes, because cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables. However, this turned out to be a "pro" for our skinny dude because now his pants stay up.

[4 1/2 months old!]

- Not convenient for traveling. Obviously, if you're going on a road trip to Disney or staying in a hotel without a laundry room, you may want to forego cloth diapers in favor of disposables for that week. No one ever said you can't switch back & forth.

PROS:

- Long-term savings. Once you've purchased your diapers & accessories (hanging diaper pail, travel wet bag, diaper sprayer, cloth wipes, extra inserts) there is good news. You don't ever have to buy diapers again! Sure, you may want to pick up an extra cloth diaper here & there if you find you're sick of doing laundry every other day. And keeping a pack if disposables on hand is probably a good idea for emergencies. But think about it... you will literally save thousands of dollars and that's just on your first baby. If you use the cloth diapers for subsequent children, the savings really adds up.

- Better for the environment. You're keeping thousands of disposable diapers out of landfills. Way to go, gang. Neat-o! And if you live in an area like ours that charges $3 per bag for trash pick-up, you're also saving money on the trash bill.

- Better for baby. I'm not saying you're a bad mom if you don't use cloth diapers, so don't start a mommy war with me. But listen, unless you're using "green" diapers, like Earth's Best or Seventh Generation, there ARE chemicals in there that may not be good for your babies skin. I mean, that's just science. And that leads to my next pro...

- No diaper rash! In 4+ months, Flynn has had zero diaper rash. We don't even own diaper rash cream. It's pretty amazing.

- Customizable absorption. Going on a long car trip? Putting your little one down for a nap? Throw an extra insert in there. Last time I checked, you can't double up with disposable diapers.

- Stylish colors & designs. Sorry, but I don't want cartoon characters on my kids' diapers. I think it looks tacky. I love FuzziBunz's fun colors and get all excited about matching them to his outfits. Nerd alert! Your baby also still looks stylish if he's going pants-less. Or outfit-less.

[He favors his hands over pacifiers. Can't say I mind!]

I love that cloth diapers are making a comeback. Who would have thought that having a baby would turn me into such a tree hugging hippie? Or maybe I just like having more money in my bank account. Either way, it's a win-win.