Why do YOU use cloth diapers?
- Thread starter ilovegod123
- Start date
@ilovegod123 There is a subreddit r/ECers you could look in to, they have a lot of resources. I had a friend who explained it to me and then I just tried it. Basically you try to read your baby's poo/wee signals and instead of letting baby use the diaper you try "catch" the poo. I started with holding my baby over the sink. That's when I started looking into cloth, because I felt like I wasted a lot of disposables.
I'm only doing lazy EC and part time-cloth, because I don't like to feel the pressure of "failing" when it comes to parenting. There is a lot of stress as it is, don't need to feel bad about myself aswell.
Read in your comment section that others are speaking about EC aswell, but more info. So you will be alright
best of luck with your journey into cloth and EC!
I'm only doing lazy EC and part time-cloth, because I don't like to feel the pressure of "failing" when it comes to parenting. There is a lot of stress as it is, don't need to feel bad about myself aswell.
Read in your comment section that others are speaking about EC aswell, but more info. So you will be alright
best of luck with your journey into cloth and EC!marjmorris
New member
@dll827 Here's a sneak peek of /r/ECers using the top posts of the year!
#1: 300+ poops in the potty!
#2: Just found out my Nana was an ECer in the early 1950s!
#3: WE
CAUGHT IT!
[sup][sup]I'm[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]a[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]bot,[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]beep[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]boop[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Downvote[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]to[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]remove[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Contact[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]me[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Info[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Opt-out[/sup][/sup]
#1: 300+ poops in the potty!
#2: Just found out my Nana was an ECer in the early 1950s!
#3: WE
CAUGHT IT![sup][sup]I'm[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]a[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]bot,[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]beep[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]boop[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Downvote[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]to[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]remove[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Contact[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]me[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Info[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]|[/sup][/sup] [sup][sup]Opt-out[/sup][/sup]
@ilovegod123 There is some weird in that study tbh. They are saying that many people use softener with their diapers, only wash 12 at a time (maybe that’s true but not for me), throw them away when the kid is done, and only use 4.17 per day. I just feel like there is some strange math here.
And I’ll be the first to say that after I worked for manufacturing companies I suffer from general disbelief that anything that is reused many times is worse than manufacturing new. It’s just the manufacturing line is wayyyyyyyy bigger than this simplified chart and everything comes from somewhere. Like sure the pulp and trees but what about the velcro type closures or the sticky ones depending on the diaper? Or the dye for the patterns they all have? Or the different factories involved in all the different kinds of materials and pulps? It’s literally mind boggling the amount that goes into a manufacturing line. And then don’t forget about manufacturing waste and what happens to it. Working in and touring factories convinced me that reused items are 99% better than disposable.
And I’ll be the first to say that after I worked for manufacturing companies I suffer from general disbelief that anything that is reused many times is worse than manufacturing new. It’s just the manufacturing line is wayyyyyyyy bigger than this simplified chart and everything comes from somewhere. Like sure the pulp and trees but what about the velcro type closures or the sticky ones depending on the diaper? Or the dye for the patterns they all have? Or the different factories involved in all the different kinds of materials and pulps? It’s literally mind boggling the amount that goes into a manufacturing line. And then don’t forget about manufacturing waste and what happens to it. Working in and touring factories convinced me that reused items are 99% better than disposable.
@oa123 They also only address cotton fibers which uses like 4x the water as hemp.
I really dislike “studies” like this one because while truthful, aren’t telling the whole story.
Is it more environmentally friendly to use disposables if I live in coal country where the water is shipped in and buy entirely new cotton or microfiber diapers from across the world and throw them away after my child is done with them? Maybe? Probably? How about if I use second hand hemp, and line dry in an area where my water is local and my electricity is hydro then pass the diapers on?
These use cases are miles apart. So you can’t say “cloth is worse than disposable” unilaterally.
I really dislike “studies” like this one because while truthful, aren’t telling the whole story.
Is it more environmentally friendly to use disposables if I live in coal country where the water is shipped in and buy entirely new cotton or microfiber diapers from across the world and throw them away after my child is done with them? Maybe? Probably? How about if I use second hand hemp, and line dry in an area where my water is local and my electricity is hydro then pass the diapers on?
These use cases are miles apart. So you can’t say “cloth is worse than disposable” unilaterally.
@oa123 I know we go through 10 a day or more, so I agree they are doing something weird with the numbers there. Also planning to reuse if we have a second child or donate of we don't (a lot of people do that).
Re: infections, etc. We steam iron everything after washing which is more work, but helps with an extra reassurance that it is really super clean and we have had zero rashes or yeast infections so far.
Re: infections, etc. We steam iron everything after washing which is more work, but helps with an extra reassurance that it is really super clean and we have had zero rashes or yeast infections so far.
snowfishblue
New member
@ilovegod123 Because cloth helps potty train faster.
Because I cringe at the idea of all that going to a landfill. (Would love to do compostable, but no facilities.)
Because it's cheaper, especially over multiple children and if you buy second-hand.
In hindsight, I don't think I'll save any money on my first baby. There are a lot of really affordable disposable options. I don't like he bulk of cloth under his clothes, but have largely adjusted to that. They are easy enough to use, adds two loads of laundry a week (bulked out with his clothes, so that's all the extra laundry baby creates!) and he's never once had a rash or infection of any sort.
The image of all the piles of disposables in landfills really puts me off. But if it weren't for that, I'd probably just use disposables if I were doing it again.
Because I cringe at the idea of all that going to a landfill. (Would love to do compostable, but no facilities.)
Because it's cheaper, especially over multiple children and if you buy second-hand.
In hindsight, I don't think I'll save any money on my first baby. There are a lot of really affordable disposable options. I don't like he bulk of cloth under his clothes, but have largely adjusted to that. They are easy enough to use, adds two loads of laundry a week (bulked out with his clothes, so that's all the extra laundry baby creates!) and he's never once had a rash or infection of any sort.
The image of all the piles of disposables in landfills really puts me off. But if it weren't for that, I'd probably just use disposables if I were doing it again.
ilovegod123
New member
@loganf18 Agreed that image of the physical waste is very compelling. I walked by a display with the avg number of diapers a baby uses in a year and that is what pushed me to cloth in the first place. But carbon accounting is part of my job, so in a way I’m taught to ignore that image and also consider the loads and loads of hot water, fuel used to heat it, detergent, etc.
@ilovegod123 It is certainly not as clear cut as it seems on the surface. But now that I have them, I feel that I need to use them with any future children to make it pay off. And it did work out wonderfully during panic buying. My EBF, cloth diapered baby didn't have anything to worry about while shops struggled to keep formula and diapers in stock. I felt pretty good about not contributing to that so there was more for others.
godlovesariel
New member
@ilovegod123 Cloth was really all I knew. My mum used cloth for me and my brother and all my cousins were cloth bubs. Mum tried disposables on me a few times and I always got terrible rashes so I was concerned that my bub would be the same so wanted to be prepared. When I started looking into it when I got pregnant, it was the prints that really sealed the deal. Why would I use boring disposables when I could have vibrant and fun patterns and cute little animals on the butt? The main reason for me sticking with cloth though is the smell. I hate putting a disposable on because they stink. My nappies and laundry never smell, but use one disposable and it has to go straight outside or my whole house stinks.
ilovegod123
New member
@godlovesariel Oh interesting. There was one brand of scented disposables I had to get rid of unused because they stank so heavily, but otherwise we have an airtight ubi bin and I don’t notice the stench.
bunbunowen66
New member
@ilovegod123 Brilliant post OP!
I also have a 4 month old who was born 4 weeks premature and has teeny legs. We've only just moved to majority cloth during the day, although we still use disposables at night and during naps (we try to use biodegradable nappies although they will still take a while to degrade) and so far the experience has been mostly positive but I understand your logic.
The problem I've found with the cloth nappy/diaper community is it is overwhelming middle class and some people are paying an absolute FORTUNE on something that essentially just catches sh*t.
If you're worried about the environmental impact of creating cloth nappies I would suggest you buy second hand, but it seems you already have your stash. I live in the UK and I've tried to buy as many nappies as possible from British manufacturers and small businesses to limit the environmental impact of these sh*t catchers travelling. If you are planning more than one baby, they are excellent since you can use them more than once so you're saving yourself a pretty penny in that regards. Plus, once you've hand enough of them you can sell them on (the nappies not the babies), making them more sustainable.
For me I like to imagine thousands of dirty nappies in a landfill, look at my babies small stash of cloth sh*t catchers and know that I've helped. Maybe just a tiny bit, but I've helped.
I also have a 4 month old who was born 4 weeks premature and has teeny legs. We've only just moved to majority cloth during the day, although we still use disposables at night and during naps (we try to use biodegradable nappies although they will still take a while to degrade) and so far the experience has been mostly positive but I understand your logic.
The problem I've found with the cloth nappy/diaper community is it is overwhelming middle class and some people are paying an absolute FORTUNE on something that essentially just catches sh*t.
If you're worried about the environmental impact of creating cloth nappies I would suggest you buy second hand, but it seems you already have your stash. I live in the UK and I've tried to buy as many nappies as possible from British manufacturers and small businesses to limit the environmental impact of these sh*t catchers travelling. If you are planning more than one baby, they are excellent since you can use them more than once so you're saving yourself a pretty penny in that regards. Plus, once you've hand enough of them you can sell them on (the nappies not the babies), making them more sustainable.
For me I like to imagine thousands of dirty nappies in a landfill, look at my babies small stash of cloth sh*t catchers and know that I've helped. Maybe just a tiny bit, but I've helped.
@ilovegod123 I wanted to start with my 2.5 from birth using cloth. My reasonings, I’m super sensitive to everything and my husband was actually allergic to certain brand diapers (so is my oldest; he’s 13 now). But life smacked us and due to fear of miscarriage (we had a miscarriage before the 2.5 year old), we didn’t exactly have that pregnancy excitement. So we didn’t get them.
We find out we’re expecting baby number four in March 2019. So I’m determined start cloth diapering since I’m spending roughly $40 a month on diapers and wipes and I’m freaking out about the increase for two in diapers! During this time we discovered the 2.5 year old is allergic to certain brands and has detergent sensitivities (thankfully none of this is due to our normal brands! It was just cheaper / hard times / pregnancy laziness type changes).
By June 2019, I had the 2.5 year old in cloth and we have a happy bum!! We have less breakouts/rashes and no allergies to the diapers. Our youngest only has a detergent sensitivity, but that falls into the categories that I listed above. And since the youngest has rarely been in disposables, he absolutely HATES the crinkle noises it makes.
We’re finishing the box of overnight disposables we have for him. He’s a heavy wetter plus still nursing at night. So I’ve recently discovered his bulletproof overnight solution.
2.5 year old is in THX hemp fitteds with a cover and fleece over that (the fleece stops the tummy leaks we were having)
9 month old is in Twinkie Tushy Fusions with a cover and wool (sometimes he’ll still leak from the fitted so he needs the wool)
We find out we’re expecting baby number four in March 2019. So I’m determined start cloth diapering since I’m spending roughly $40 a month on diapers and wipes and I’m freaking out about the increase for two in diapers! During this time we discovered the 2.5 year old is allergic to certain brands and has detergent sensitivities (thankfully none of this is due to our normal brands! It was just cheaper / hard times / pregnancy laziness type changes).
By June 2019, I had the 2.5 year old in cloth and we have a happy bum!! We have less breakouts/rashes and no allergies to the diapers. Our youngest only has a detergent sensitivity, but that falls into the categories that I listed above. And since the youngest has rarely been in disposables, he absolutely HATES the crinkle noises it makes.
We’re finishing the box of overnight disposables we have for him. He’s a heavy wetter plus still nursing at night. So I’ve recently discovered his bulletproof overnight solution.
2.5 year old is in THX hemp fitteds with a cover and fleece over that (the fleece stops the tummy leaks we were having)
9 month old is in Twinkie Tushy Fusions with a cover and wool (sometimes he’ll still leak from the fitted so he needs the wool)
@ilovegod123 So if you consider break even 1 year, and have 2 kids that are 100% potty trained by 2 years old that is significant savings. (I beleive I read somewhere that the average American kid is potty trained around 3, 3 1/2? anecdotally I have read Potty Training is easier for kids who are CD)
As for environmental impacts, buying used and then selling your stash when finished (more savings!) spread out the manufacturing footprint, so to speak. If you are really in to doing it for environmental reasons you can use flats (or upcycled recieving blankets, muslin swaddles etc from a thrift store) hand wash, and line dry. You can also be more diligent regarding the manufacturers processes and even where they ship from.
Personally, environmental impact was my main reason for choosing cloth, and so I am sticking with domestic brands and second hand diapers. I am also upcycling a bunch of different materials and going with diapers that dry faster. We have fairly clean power here and good water resource management as well so I am less concerned about the environmental impacts of laundry vs. waste. If I lived somewhere where this wasn't the case I'd be far more concerned.
As for environmental impacts, buying used and then selling your stash when finished (more savings!) spread out the manufacturing footprint, so to speak. If you are really in to doing it for environmental reasons you can use flats (or upcycled recieving blankets, muslin swaddles etc from a thrift store) hand wash, and line dry. You can also be more diligent regarding the manufacturers processes and even where they ship from.
Personally, environmental impact was my main reason for choosing cloth, and so I am sticking with domestic brands and second hand diapers. I am also upcycling a bunch of different materials and going with diapers that dry faster. We have fairly clean power here and good water resource management as well so I am less concerned about the environmental impacts of laundry vs. waste. If I lived somewhere where this wasn't the case I'd be far more concerned.
ilovegod123
New member
@caleb23 Agreed, if we can commit, a second kid really helps the economics. We want to have them close in age, so hopefully kid 1 is out of the diapers so we can use them on kid 2. Also helps that you can sell them and recoup some of that cost (1/3rd ish?).
I wish we could line dry, it’s too cold where I live for most of the year.
I wish we could line dry, it’s too cold where I live for most of the year.
@ilovegod123 It's definitely an incentive to potty train early! Not to mention life is just easier with only one in diapers. My Mum had 3 kids in just over 3 years and that is always her advice if people ask about having more kids.
Yeah, we get a few months a year where it is an option. Covers come out of the wash pretty much dry though so that's something
Yeah, we get a few months a year where it is an option. Covers come out of the wash pretty much dry though so that's something
ilovegod123
New member
@ilovegod123 Nope! 
I think that's why she advised it. I was like 22 months when my brother was born and not 100% and there was a regression. Then he was 18 months when my youngest brother was born. So she had 2 in diapers for a while.
I think that's why she advised it. I was like 22 months when my brother was born and not 100% and there was a regression. Then he was 18 months when my youngest brother was born. So she had 2 in diapers for a while.@ilovegod123 I started because that's what I had on hand one day (hand me down diapers) and just said "why not?" I don't have many, so I wash every other day, but it's become part of my routine. My husband became completely on board when our quarantine period started, and the stores were out of diapers. And now we're so used to it that we won't use disposables unless we absolutely have to.