Cloth Diapers : What We Really Think

Samson was about 8 weeks old, when I got brave and decided to snap on one of the cloth diapers.  We've been using cloth diapers for quite some time now and we've learned a lot along the way. People often ask me if we still use cloth diapers or they act shocked that we are still using them (often with heavily cynical voices). Bottom line: we love it or we're crazy enough to not hate it. Second bottom line: we aren't quite all in, but we're committed to what works for us. Third bottom line: we are saving loads of money.

Diaper Choice : Charlie Banana One Size Pocket Diapers. Two thumbs up. The fit is great, the style is great, they come with two sizes of inserts, the elastic on the back holds in all the poop. Zero blow outs so far... but never say never. (We've had several blow-outs in disposables). I definitely recommend them. We have 19 diapers, which cost us $215 out of pocket. I can't even begin to stress how good of a deal that is... $215 for the diapers Samson will wear for 2+ years! I'm thinking about investing in some new inserts though (not in love with microfiber, what do YOU use? Please let me know!)

Diaper Pail/Bags : At home, we keep a regular lidded trash can in the bathroom next to Samson's room with the diaper sprayer. Holds in smells okay, keeps the grossness contained & is very easy to clean. On the go, we use Planet Wise and Itzy Rizy wet bags. Both hold in smells and grossness exceptionally well. I've stashed a massively dirty diaper in the diaper bag after a mid-church diaper change and no-one was the wiser. Impressed.

Diaper Sprayer : Bumkins cloth diaper sprayer. Do you need one? Yes No. Should you get one? Yes. Definitely yes. I jumped the gun on using the cloth diapers before we actually got the sprayer installed. So for a while we dunked and swished. Honestly, it wasn't that bad, but considering that we had a sprayer just anxiously waiting to fulfill it's poop cleansing purpose, it was kind of undesirable. The spray is adjustable and easy to control. I feel like the diapers and inserts get clean much easier with a little pre-rinse.

Detergent : We started out with a bag of Rockin' Green courtesy of my cousin Jess. I ran out before I had re-ordered so I did some quick research to find an inexpensive cloth diaper safe detergent in-store near me. I bought a huge jug of ECOS Free & Clear laundry detergent from Target. I'm smitten. I use it on diapers and all of our clothes. I love that it's liquid, which for whatever reason is more appealing to me.

Wash Routine : For reference, we have this washer and this dryer, which I highly recommend. Also, I do a cycle with HOT water which isn't recommended for Charlie Banana diapers. However, ensuring that my diapers are clean with as few chemicals as possible is more important to me than voiding a warranty, so make sure you educate yourself on your own particular brand of diapers before you commit to any routine.

It took a lot of trial and error to get to this point. This is about 2 hours worth of washing and 1 hour of drying. It might seem like a lot of water, but keep in mind we have an energy efficient machine. We haven't noticed any change in our water bill because we are still using well below the minimum usage fee.

1. Rinse with Aqua Jet - Cold Water
2. Quick Wash - Heavy - Hot Water -  Line 1 ECOS Free & Clear
3. Normal Cycle - Heavy - Warm Water - Line 1 ECOS Free & Clear - 2 T OxiClean Free & Clear
4. Rinse with Aqua Jet - Cold Water
5. Timed dry - Very Low - 60 minutes, or we line dry outside when the weather is nice.

Disposables : Yep, still use them. I always have some in the diaper bag and in the back of the car. I try to pack one cloth diaper in the diaper bag, but if we are out for an extended period of time, I prefer not to carry around a bag of dirty diapers. To each his own. We use disposable diapers every night and we still using disposable wipes every diaper change. If I had to estimate we use about 2 disposable diapers a day...we use The Honest Co. diapers and wipes, and love them. I highly recommend their products and their subscription service. As a busy mom, there is nothing better. They send reminder emails to select diaper designs and adjust your delivery date as necessary. You can adjust your delivery rate (more often or less often) and a sales rep for The Honest Co, says they can even split your bundle if you think your baby is in between sizes (or uses larger diapers at night for more absorbency.) Here is my referral code for The Honest Co. if you decide to give one of their bundles a try!

Overall, we are happy with our choice. Cloth diapering wasn't even on my radar until I was pregnant and observing the mommas around me. And cloth diapering wasn't on Aaron's radar until I told him we should cloth diaper Samson. There are some days I feel a little crazy but, it feels good to spend less on monthly expenses, to produce less waste, to put something gentle on my baby's skin, and to pat that cute fluffy cloth diaper bum.