While everyone's reasoning for Cloth Diapering varies, there are a lot of things to consider. You can cloth diaper for one reason, or any combination of multiple reasons. Some people do it only for the cute factor. Some because their little ones are allergic to disposible diapers, some to be eco friendly, and some for the cost effectiveness. There is no right or wrong reason to cloth diaper, and there is no wrong or right reason not to cloth diaper. You don't have to cloth diaper all the time, many people only use cloth at home. Some don't use it overnight or when they are out and about. Some daycares won't allow the use of cloth so parents decide to only cloth at home and when they are out and about with their little ones, not while at daycare during the day. Whatever works for your family is the best thing to do! There is no right or wrong in cloth diapering. Here are just some of the reasons you may want ton consider cloth diapering:
Cost Effectiveness
This is one of the most common reasons for mamas deciding on cloth diapering these days. I know I save about $122 a month just cloth diapering 1 baby. The savings are even better if you plan on cloth diapering more than one child either at a time or after each other.
This is one of the most common reasons for mamas deciding on cloth diapering these days. I know I save about $122 a month just cloth diapering 1 baby. The savings are even better if you plan on cloth diapering more than one child either at a time or after each other.
http://www.diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp is a website you can use to calculate the cost of disposables versus the cost of cloth! I was using a box of diapers every week at $25 for my newborn. I was also using 1 box of wipes at $11 every two weeks between my two children. That comes out to $122 a month that I no longer have to buy! What could you do with an extra $100 dollars a month? What could you do with an extra $1200 a year? Pay off some debt, put some money in savings, buy more cute things for your babies, take a trip, or spend it on cute diapers! Whatever you want!
The cheapest way to cloth diaper is by using prefolds or flats and covers. Econbum are some cheap, good covers that I use. They are available exclusively at cottonbabies.com. You can also find them used at diaperswappers.com, the diaper swap board on BabyCenter, your local Craigslist, etc. You can also use prefolds in pocket diapers!
Another cheap option is "China Cheapy" diapers. I have some Sunbaby Cloth Diapers that I love! I also love love love my Alvas even more than Sunbabies! You can get them even cheaper by buying them without inserts and using prefolds with covers and stuffing the pockets of the Sunbaby diapers with the prefolds. Alva is another brand of China Cheapy and so is Coolababy. You can even join a co-op and buy diapers, especially China Cheapies at a much better price because you are going in on a big wholesale order with other people and paying wholesale prices! There are also many other cheap and/or free ways to cloth diaper! Plus who wants to run to the store in the middle of the night because you run out of diapers? With cloth you won't ever have to!
The cheapest way to cloth diaper is by using prefolds or flats and covers. Econbum are some cheap, good covers that I use. They are available exclusively at cottonbabies.com. You can also find them used at diaperswappers.com, the diaper swap board on BabyCenter, your local Craigslist, etc. You can also use prefolds in pocket diapers!
Another cheap option is "China Cheapy" diapers. I have some Sunbaby Cloth Diapers that I love! I also love love love my Alvas even more than Sunbabies! You can get them even cheaper by buying them without inserts and using prefolds with covers and stuffing the pockets of the Sunbaby diapers with the prefolds. Alva is another brand of China Cheapy and so is Coolababy. You can even join a co-op and buy diapers, especially China Cheapies at a much better price because you are going in on a big wholesale order with other people and paying wholesale prices! There are also many other cheap and/or free ways to cloth diaper! Plus who wants to run to the store in the middle of the night because you run out of diapers? With cloth you won't ever have to!
Environmentally Friendly
Cloth diapers are much more environmentally friendly! There aren't any extra materials or chemicals going into landfills. Even when your cloth diapers aren't good enough to be used as cloth diapers or you are done having children, you can still use them for other things! Prefolds make amazing burp rags and cleaning cloths just to name a couple! Plus it will save you gas because you will make less trips to the store which will help the environment and your pocketbook!
Cloth diapers are much more environmentally friendly! There aren't any extra materials or chemicals going into landfills. Even when your cloth diapers aren't good enough to be used as cloth diapers or you are done having children, you can still use them for other things! Prefolds make amazing burp rags and cleaning cloths just to name a couple! Plus it will save you gas because you will make less trips to the store which will help the environment and your pocketbook!
Cuteness Factor
Another main reason a lot of people get into cloth diapering is because they are adorable! Have you ever been buying diapers, trying to decide between Winne The Pooh and Sesame Street characters and thought "I wish they made rainbow/blue/pink/red/camo/ diapers." or "I wish you could choose the colors and prints of my diapers!" Well with cloth you can! If you find a fabric you like, there are WAHMs who will let you send in your own fabric and make the diaper of your choosing from it! My personal favorites so far are my galaxy diapers! I got one from The Diaper Addict (a WAHM you can find on facebook) and one from A Sparkly Baby (another WAHM you can find on facebook) I got covers made from the Galaxy PUL from both of them and I am still, months and months later, beyond in love with them!
Another main reason a lot of people get into cloth diapering is because they are adorable! Have you ever been buying diapers, trying to decide between Winne The Pooh and Sesame Street characters and thought "I wish they made rainbow/blue/pink/red/camo/ diapers." or "I wish you could choose the colors and prints of my diapers!" Well with cloth you can! If you find a fabric you like, there are WAHMs who will let you send in your own fabric and make the diaper of your choosing from it! My personal favorites so far are my galaxy diapers! I got one from The Diaper Addict (a WAHM you can find on facebook) and one from A Sparkly Baby (another WAHM you can find on facebook) I got covers made from the Galaxy PUL from both of them and I am still, months and months later, beyond in love with them!
Comfort
Let's face it, cloth is more comfortable, especially for babies with sensitive skin! Have you felt a diaper? Not only are they scratchy but they are full of chemicals. Who would want to sit in wet paper like that? I know I wouldn't. I also know I wouldn't like the gel they have in them absorbing not only all my pee but all the moister from my bottom! Some babies get really bad rashes, some are just plain allergic to disposables, and some just get super dry down there or have other complications because the absorbent gel does it's job too well by soaking up all the moister in your sweet babies bottom as well.
Potty Training
Potty Training, or Potty learning (PT and PL respectively) can be easier and happen earlier because of using cloth diapers! Because the baby can feel the wetness better than they could in a disposable that has the gel to soak up wetness, children are apt to learn quicker the sensation of being wet and start noticing the feelings that come right before being wet, therefor leading them to learn how to use the potty earlier and easier than their peers in the disposables.
Like I said, you could be trying cloth for one reason, multiple reasons, or maybe your own reasons and none of these at all. That's fine! Whatever reasons a mommy has for cloth diapering or not cloth diapering, they are right. <3
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