Cloth Diapering Made Easy

I love cloth diapers.  I even enjoy laundering the diapers.  It’s my favorite laundry task!  I spent hours and many weeks researching this, now I can share it with you – and maybe you’ll be inspired to try it yourself. As a practitioner working with children with autism, I’m aware of toxins and the role they play in our health. So when I became a mom, I began looking into diapering options.  I learned that all disposable diapers (except Tushies that uses cotton and woodpulp), use a chemical gel.  Even the eco-friendly brands use the same absorbing gel as the commercial brands, Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP), which was removed from tampons when it was associated with toxic shock syndrome. Some commercial brands use even worse chemicals. Because of this, I decided I wanted to use cloth diapers.  As I mentioned, I spent many hours online reviewing different options and comments from mothers.  I’m here to share what I have learned and what I use. Cotton prefolds are the most basic option, and the most cost effective.  They’re a flat cotton diaper that you fold to fit your baby, and a waterproof cover over it.  There are simple to use “all-in-one,” and pocket diapers too – that you stuff to suit your absorbency needs. And, there are a variety of hybrid diapers, where you keep the cover, and throw out part of the inside “insert.” I use a combination of cotton prefolds and FuzziBunz pocket diapers.  The cotton prefolds are really easy to wash and dry, they get very clean without any hassle.  At night, I use FuzziBunz because the fleece layer wicks wetness away, and I can stuff them to fit my needs with more or less absorbency. Here is what has worked for me. I use:

• 2 dozen organic cotton prefolds from Green Mountain Diaper
• 9 FuzziBunz pocket diapers
• 5 Joey Bunz inserts for extra stuffing at night
• 4 Thirsty covers for the prefolds
• 50 cloth wipes
• A thermos I fill with warm water and a bowl to catch the extra water when I pour it on the wipes
• 1 spray bottle with homemade wash, but you can also buy one from Kissaluvs

This is about a 3-4 day supply, which is perfect because the longer diapers sit, the more they smell of urine, so I like to wash mine every 3 days.  I knock off the solid poop and toss them in the wash.  I wash them twice, once on cold with vinegar and Charlie’s Soap, and once on hot with Charlie’s soap and baking soda. I don’t even own my own washer and dryer.  You can do this with a shared laundry room.  Even with paying $4.50 per load, I still save money and do something great for the environment. Let me know how it goes and what you use! Julie