that's what we cool kids call it...CDing {cloth diapering}. i've been meaning to post about this
hobby of ours for quite some time now, giving friends some place of reference when they ask about our CDing system. we tend to get the following responses when we tell people about the fact that we CD:
1) wow, you're brave! i would never take the time to do that.
2) oh, i would try it if i only had one kid
3) what service do you use? isn't that MORE expensive than disposable diapers?
4) ew, you put THAT in your washer and dryer??
5) wow, that's cool! how do you do it??
we mostly get 1-4 but occasionally i score a #5 in conversation.
many people love the idea of the ease of
pocket diapers in which you use various layers of absorbent inserts...VERY handy. the only drawback is that these are somewhat tricky to get to fit a newborn, or up to maybe 12 lbs or so. oh, and they come at a pretty penny too!
so here is how we do it, and it has worked great for 6.5 months so far! since we didn't know what system to use, we went cheap and decided to see how it went as we went along. we ordered 24 infant unbleached cotton indian prefolds and 6 XS thirsties velcro diaper wraps. this fit our needs perfectly from the beginning, saving us the need to use 'sposies in the early weeks. before too long we ordered the size S of the thirsties wraps (6 more) and 24 of the toddler sized prefolds. by the time we were going up to this size, however, i also noticed my use of the
bumgenius one-size pocket diapers was greatly increasing. the handy features on these are the snaps on the front that allow you to change the size with growth of the baby. within the first few weeks i learned that because the pocket diapers wick moisture away onto the layers tucked within, you can leave them on for longer! with the proper stuffing (which takes some trials) i was able to not change his diaper at all through the nights! that was quite a perk to the nighttime feeding routine! i also like using them for when we are out on the town or going to be gone for a while. the cotton prefolds should really be changed at least every 2-3 hours like a 'sposie. we just added more pocket diapers to our collection over time, and will likely continue to do so until we have maybe 16 ish.
we did also get crazy and invest in a
diaper sprayer, also made by bumgenius, which easily hooks up to the toilet and gets out the extra messy stuff if your baby is on formula or starting solids. until then, they can just go straight into the washer as they are! i'm sure everyone figures out their own washing routine, but here's what i do...
-usually wash diapers every 2-3 days in a cold prewash followed by a hot/cold cycle with only a tiny amount of detergent. i use 7th generation unscented, but supposedly the BEST is a brand of detergent called
planet. i'm planning to switch soon!
another question i often get is whether or not we use them when we travel...and YES! as long as i will have access to a washer and dryer i always do. i'm addicted to them as an outfit accessory...SO much cuter than 'sposies!
so far we have bought everything for our diapering needs at
abbyslane.
happy diapering!
praying for minds, peace, transitions, and bodies.
