Daycare says Cloth Diapers Uncomfortable

[trevorkian]

Background: Our daycare accepts cloth diapers, and there is even another kiddo in them as well in our class! I posted in this group before about how they were worried the cloth diapers I was using was preventing my 9 mo old from crawling. They asked if they could use disposables sometimes instead, and I said they can do whatever they think will help. (I’d also like to say my LO was home with me for 3 weeks since I was off work and he got super close to crawling in that time even tho we CD full time! I think it was bc I played with him and put him on his belly during the day and had one on one time with him when obvi at day care they are watching so many kids at once). I told them I won’t provide disposables, since I provide cloth and one of the big reasons we do this is for the savings. They said that was fine since they had an “emergency stash” they could use.

Fast forward to now: they are still using disposables part time at daycare (they probably only use like one or two cloth diapers a day). I’m fine with it but they leave notes all the time in our app saying things like “changed to disposables so baby could be comfortable” or “used disposables for baby’s comfort” or “pulled from emergency diaper stash for baby.” I’m getting a bit tired of it bc it feels passive aggressive. I totally get if u don’t like CD or have a strong opinion about it, that’s fine. But it has been wearing down on me to see it all the time.

Am I making my baby uncomfortable? Are cloth diapers hindering his development? Am I a bad parent to put cost savings and less garbage above my child’s comfort? I don’t know what to do!

 

[daninohio]

@trevorkian It sounds more like your daycare is just being lazy. Have you had any updates from them in the last 2 weeks? You should tell them that your baby is making moves at home and doesn't seem uncomfortable when he's at home. Ask them to show you how they use the cloth diaper and correct them if you see issues.

 

[cedarhart]

@trevorkian Well, if you’re at all concerned that cloth is holding baby’s movement milestones back, you could do some extra nappy free time when baby is at home with you and see if anything changes. But the bigger influence here is likely to be the following:

• your baby is developing at their own pace and is completely normal! (could you ask the staff how old the other babies were when they started crawling? They may just have a weird impression of cloth and have confirmation bias with this because your baby isn’t yet crawling)
• they aren’t fitting the CDs well and so they are actually limiting movement slightly or are uncomfortable (have you noticed anything when you pick baby up from care?)
• clothes make learning to crawl a little harder, apparently (socks and trousers are slippery on solid floors!) so you could encourage them to remove socks for periods of the day
• baby isn’t getting much floor time (like you said)

 

[stephert]

@trevorkian I mean before disposables, all babies were in cloth and it didn't stop them from crawling lol.

 

[stinsonmarri]

@trevorkian Cloth diapers these days are far less bulky and look waaay more comfortable than the pics I see of us as kids. They did not hinder movement or development of me and my siblings and it’s definitely not hindered my kids. Both were up and crawling/walking pretty early but also all kids get to crawling/walking when they are ready!

I do wonder if they are putting them on correctly or not? If they went out on properly I can see that they would be uncomfortable and hinder movement potentially. So maybe come at it from that angle (eg don’t assume it’s the nappies I think it’s more likely it’s user error or bias).

 

[laceyl]

@stinsonmarri This - fit issues are huge. Our daycare was snapping the fitteds and covers over the top of baby’s thighs and then complaining that she wasn’t lifting her legs enough. Was resolved pretty quickly after thoroughly demonstrating a proper fit to each of the teachers on the days they worked

 

[castiel]

@trevorkian I’m on my 3rd cloth diapered baby and never once have my kids showed any signs of discomfort or impaired movement. All of them wore disposables at some point and there was ZERO change. They have also all met gross motor milestones on time if not early. If you’re ok with them putting your baby in disposables for their convenience, let them. If you want your diapers used, speak up.

 

[raylog54796157]

@trevorkian

I totally get if u don’t like CD or have a strong opinion about it, that’s fine.

You are paying them for a service... It's actually not fine. If cloth is acceptable at the facility just have a sitdown with the people and say unless my kid is saying they are uncomfortable then put them in what I have provided.

 

[vinolia]

@trevorkian My daughter crawled at 3 months and walked at 8 months in cloth. No you’re not hindering development. Different kids have different timelines, all well-within the WIDE range of normal.

Pretty sure she was more comfortable without the immediate rashes she would get in disposables, that never ever happened in cloth. Or the blowouts that always happened in disposables and never happened in cloth.

 

[jacobchally]

@vinolia Did you have any issues later? Our pediatrician said we should stop our seven month old ( she was late preterm but I don’t think that matters anymore) from standing up but she loves to get up and really wants to start standing up.

 

[vinolia]

@jacobchally Absolutely no issues. She remains mobile and engaged at nearly 6 years old

I would double check with a physical therapist or even an infant chiropractor.

 

[wren84]

@trevorkian Not everyone here will agree but some cloth diapers really are not comfortable. Some are too bulky and do inhibit movement. I can’t answer gilt without knowing or seeing what you’re using but I know some in my stash can’t be used once my baby is trying to sit crawl or walk due to bulk.

 

[chriswilson7]

@trevorkian Sounds to me like they prefer disposables to cloth because it's easier for them and they're saying it's for baby's comfort but it's actually for their convenience. In my experience as a daycare teacher, teachers tend to use qualifying language in notes to parents like that when they're trying hard to justify something.

Might just be me being cynical but I'd just not give them the option to use disposables. We know they don't hinder development and if your baby isn't having any lingering rash or anything I see no reason why you shouldn't keep using cloth!

My baby had a yeast infection recently and we switched to disposables while I sanitized all the cloth - he would always pull and tug on his diaper like it was uncomfortable, something he never did in cloth!

Every baby is different but saying that they're using disposables for your baby's comfort when there's no evidence he's uncomfortable in cloth seems to me like it's more about their comfort than your baby's.

You know your baby best, you know what's best for your family, and you're not being selfish at all by expecting your baby's caregivers to follow your instructions when it comes to your baby's care.

 

[fetorahjesuslibertarian]

@trevorkian Does seem passive aggressive honestly but I imagine they have an obligation to record stuff? But beyond 'changed diaper- using disposable' I'm not sure why they need to use the rhetoric that the baby is uncomfortable. If your kid is always comfortable in CD at home and everywhere else then it doesn't make sense that they aren't ok with CD only in one building. I fall BS. I'd confront them about it and ask them to stop the passive aggressive rhetoric.

Also do you know the other CD kiddo's parent(s)? Are they having this issue too? I'd chat with them and see. If not I'd be curious what accounts for their success.

Also you are not selfish for the varying reasons you have chosen the CD path. A big reason for us is the major cost savings. It's not selfish- it's my way of taking care of my family. And this savings extends big time into the next kid which is due in October. I literally don't have to spend a penny on CD other than washing them and my own energy expenditure (which I find washing easy personally since the machine does the hard work for me). So yea, not selfish. You are taking care of your family and you deemed this the best way. And guess what? It's your family and your money and your problem so you are right!!!

 

[raylog54796157]

@fetorahjesuslibertarian

I'm not sure why they need to use the rhetoric that the baby is uncomfortable.

Totally a CYA tactic so when parent comes in to say hey I'm tired of my "emergency" stash becoming daily. They can point to those logs and say baby was uncomfortable.

 

[fetorahjesuslibertarian]

@raylog54796157 Ick. That's just so icky to do. Very sneaky. Lol can Mom keep a log at home so she can counter? "11:06am Changed diaper. Baby loved it. Pocket with charcoal insert. No diaper cream. Baby seems so comfy."

 

[watchalways]

@trevorkian Maybe they’re not putting the diapers on correctly or they aren’t using liners, so they think the diaper always feels wet? Do they act the same way about the other child in cloth diapers?

My baby is in cloth diapers at home and disposables in daycare. He crawls, bends every possible way when sitting to reach his toys, and is getting very good at pulling himself up and cruising on his feet. It doesn’t look like they are uncomfortable or hinder his development at all.

 

[vinolia]

@watchalways Or it’s confirmation bias— the baby is fussy during a certain time of day, and then they change to disposable diapers during the time the fussiness wraps up, so they assume a correlation where there is none.

Edit: I just realized it’s probably around nap time and they want baby to sleep longer to make it easier for them— they’re doing this for themselves, not baby.

 

[iamlu05]

@trevorkian I switched to disposables recently, because I was hospitalized and was already behind on washing. In the week that my son was in disposables, he kept expressing that he was uncomfortable by picking at the diaper, trying to take it off, and just constantly pulling it. Since going back to cloth diapers, he hasn’t done any of that and has left his diaper alone. Besides that, he has hit all milestones either on time or early despite being a preemie. I would also be curious as to how often they are changing your lo’s diapers since he always seems “uncomfortable.” It just seems to be more of them making excuses for their convenience rather than accommodating your request.

 

[ipwsite]

@iamlu05 Yeah, I was having a lot of seizures and we did about 2 weeks of full time disposables. Baby cries and takes them off. He is way happier in cloth.