Confessions of a Cloth Diaper Convert

Ever since I decided to use cloth diapers with this baby I have had TONS of people ask all kinds of questions about it. It has been a huge conversation piece lately. It is definitely not the "norm" in my personal circles, and I think that it is mostly because people feel exactly the way I did about it...curious, but uneducated, and therefore afraid to try it. Plus, there are so many different options out there it really is hard to know where to even begin! That's totally how I felt! I was all for the "convenience" of disposables - they were just easier to me.

I believe that if I had known someone five years ago who used cloth diapers and could answer questions about it for me and point me in the right direction of getting started, I would have used them way before my third child. So, although I am FAR from being any kind of expert on this, I can share with you what I do know and how I handle cloth diapering so far, and maybe ease the fears someone else may have about it.

What kind of diapers are you using?
I am using the BumGenius 3.0 One Size diapers. There are so many great options out there, with many different "features," but these were specifically what I was looking for in a CD and so far I have been extremely happy with them. They are pocket diapers that come with 2 liners, one newborn size (which can also be used when they are older to double up for added nighttime absorption) and a regular liner that has snaps to adjust to a couple different sizes. The diaper covers have velcro tabs and also come with snaps to adjust to 4 different sizes so it grows with your child. It fits babies from 8lbs up to 35lbs, which I love rather than having to buy several different sizes. Plus, they come in so many fun colors. To learn more about the different types of diapers, in addition to being a great resource on this topic in general, you should go to www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com. You should definitely research and find the right kind of diaper for you.

How many diapers do you have?
I have 21 diapers and so far that has been plenty for me to do a load of diapers every 3 days, as recommended. I would say 20-24 is a good estimate of how many you would need based on my experience so far with a newborn.

I'd love to try cloth diapers, but can't get past the idea of washing the poop...
That was probably the biggest obstacle for me, but honestly it hasn't been as bad as I expected. I purchased the Bummi's disposable liners, which help a lot. The poo poo gets caught in the liner and can be dumped in the garbage or right in the toilet. I just give the edges a quick rinse if needed. BumGenius also makes a diaper sprayer, which is a hose attachment for the toilet for easy rinsing. We may purchase that in the future, but for now the newborn poo isn't too bad.

Aren't you doing laundry all the time now? Won't the cost of running the washer and dryer so much outweigh the cost benefit?
With a family of five, we are doing quite a lot of laundry to begin with :). But no, I don't feel like I am doing laundry all the time. I do a load of diapers twice a week now in addition to my regular laundry, which is still a ton less money than what we were dishing out for disposables - it certainly isn't adding $10-15 dollars a week to our energy bill. Also, I hung a couple rows of string in my laundry closet, so I line dry the diapers and don't need to run the dryer and they dry surprisingly quicker than you would think. In the summer, hopefully, I can even hang them out in the sun.

Where did you buy your diapers?
I personally bought all my diapers and supplies from babySNAZZ.com. They have frequent promotions, and $5 flat rate shipping or free shipping on orders over $75. And with every purchase you get 10% back in credit off your next purchase. I ended up getting a lot of products for free because of the promotions and credits. They have a nice FAQ section on their site under the help tab that gives a lot of information about cloth diapers and was especially helpful to me about how to launder them.

What other supplies do you need besides the diapers?
Like I mentioned before, I have the Bummi's flushable liners. I also have a large wet bag for my diaper pail, and a small wet bag to keep in my diaper bag when we are out. I throw those in the wash right with the diapers. I also am using the BumGenius laundry detergent because I got some free through a promotion.

How much money are you really saving?
I can't say an exact amount, but disposables were costing us about $50 a month, which over the course of about 4 years (by the time they are fully potty trained) is around $2400, give or take. I only spent about $300 total on about $500 worth of supplies for cloth diapering. Obviously, if you are planning on using them for more than one child the savings would be even greater. And I've learned that they have a pretty good resale value as well which will increase the value of it. Plus, you have the added benefit of helping the environment stay cleaner, and your baby's bottom stay healthier! If startup cost is a big issue, you could easily start with a smaller supply and alternate with disposables, and still end up saving some money.


I know cloth diapers aren't for everyone, but I sure am glad that I took the time to research and ask questions to feel more confident about trying them. If you are on the fence about trying them, but feel lost and unsure about the whole topic, I know exactly how you feel! Hopefully, I have helped someone out there take the first step toward trying them too!