The above phrase is what my mother would have uttered if I had suggested to her that I was considering using cloth diapers on my first baby born 9 years ago. For many of our parents, changing and washing cloth diapers is one of the worst memories of caring for babies - swishing the diapers in the toilet, sticking the babies with diaper pins, the endless loads of laundry, etc.
I won’t go into a discussion here on the environmental and health benefits of cloth diapers vs. disposables. There’s lots of information out there, and depending on your point of view, you probably find an article on the internet that will support your position. But there is no question that cloth diapers are a more economical choice. And many parents just can’t stand the thought of all those disposables sitting around in landfills for the next thousand years!
Because of their convenience, disposable diapers have dominated the diaper market for the last 30 years. However, a few recent innovations in diaper design (in both cloth and disposable) have led to more options for parents to consider.
One of the best innovations in cloth diapers that makes them almost!) as convenient as disposables are “pocket diapers”. A pocket diaper consists of a waterproof outer barrier fabric that is sewn to the second component, and an inner moisture-wicking fabric that keeps the skin feeling dry.
These two fabrics form a pocket for the third component, an absorbent insert, to be placed inside. The diapers use adjustable snaps to fit your baby securely. The design is so unique that Tereson Dupuy patented it and named her product Fuzzi Bunz.
We first started carrying Fuzzi Bunz about two years ago on the recommendation of some local parents, and we are selling a ton of them now! They are available in five sizes to fit from birth (including preemies) to potty training.
Many parents report that their older babies can wear pocket diapers for the same length of time as disposable diapers (4-5 hours during the day), because the fabric next to their baby’s skin stays dry - all the moisture is absorbed into the insert. The insert can be anything absorbent - cloth prefolds, terrycloth towels, or micro-terry or hemp inserts made especially for pocket diapers. For overnight, simply increase the amount of inserts to keep baby dry all night.
Pocket diapers are also easy to clean. Solids “plop” right off the diaper in to the toilet. The diapers and inserts (separated) are run through a rinse or soak cycle first, then washed with hot water, and tumbled dry on low or hung to dry. They don’t stain or retain odors, hold up well after dozens of washings, and dry very quickly.
We recently started carrying another brand of pocket diapers called Wonderoos, made by Jessica Burman of Vacaville, California. If you attended our Birth & Baby Fair, you may have met Jessica and learned about her diapers. Whereas Fuzzi Bunz come in different sizes, Wonderoos are one size that fits most babies from 8 -35 lbs. With Wonderoos, you may only need to purchase one size diaper to carry your baby through potty-training! Smaller newborns or larger toddlers may not fit properly in Wonderoos, so Fuzzi Bunz is a better choice for those babies.
Both Fuzzi Bunz and Wonderoos come in a range of colors (coming soon -- prints!) for the fashion-conscious baby.
For those not wanting to invest in a dozen or more pocket diapers, or who intend to use a diaper service to get around washing their own diapers (still an economical option), we’ve gotten great feedback on two diaper wraps from Basic Connection, LiteWraps and Cot’nWraps. These Velcro® diaper covers are worn over a cloth prefold or fitted diaper to prevent leaking and to secure the diaper with nary a pin!
Two local diaper services, ABC Diaper Service and Tiny Tots, will deliver diapers before your baby is born and pick up soiled diapers and drop off fresh, clean ones every week after the baby arrives. Newborns use about 80 diapers a week, and you can expect to pay about $17/week for weekly service (for comparison purposes, a pack of newborn diapers is about $11.50 for 40 diapers).
Meri used a diaper service with two of her three children, and reports that it is really nice to have all those cloth diapers lying around the house for the inevitable messes!
If you want to wash your cloth diapers yourself, you can use our wonderful Baby’s Textiles cloth prefold diapers made of Indian cotton gauze (highly absorbent!), or our Under the Nile Organic Fitted diaper (a great overnight option!).
Finally, if you just can’t get into the cloth diapering scene, you can stay environmentally conscious. We are sad to report that Norsea Natural, the maker of Nature Boy & Girl Disposable Diapers, has gone out of business, although we have heard lately that the diapers may be available through a new manufacturer this fall. But we have started carrying Seventh Generation Disposable Diapers as an alternative. These diapers use completely unbleached eco-harvested wood pulp, are free of all dyes and perfumes, and use a small amount of superabsorbent polymer (gel) to last as long and keep your baby as dry as any diaper on the market. For babies with sensitive skin, chlorine-bleached and scented disposables can contribute to rashes and eczema. Occasionally, even cloth diapers that are bleached and washed in detergents, or the tendency of cloth to feel wet, can cause a problem for some tender tushies.
Seventh Generation is a wonderful, environmentally conscious company, and they make a good product. They cost a bit more - $15.99 for a pack of 42 small diapers, but not much more than the premium supermarket brands. They are also a great option for cloth-diapering families to have around for occasional travel or overnight use.
To sum it all up, there are many options to consider in the diapering world. You may decide that a combination of disposable and cloth is right for you.
At The Nurture Center, we are happy to relay our experiences, as well as what other parents tell us - if you can't drop by our Lafayette, California store, visit our website and check out the options!
