One of the Best Choices I've Made For Baby: Cloth Diapering How-To

I have written this follow up to my previous article, One of the Best Choices I've Made For Baby Is..., as a how-to on cloth diapering.  I will take you step-by-step on how to cloth diaper your baby.  This article has been written based upon this request from a reader:

"That [One of the Best Choices I've Made For Baby Is...] is a wonderful article! It really made me realize maybe I should try clothe diapers. Do you have any articles telling a clueless mom how to do it! lol"


Her comment made me so happy!  I was thrilled to know that I had helped someone out, and that she liked my writing so much that she wanted me to write a how-to article.  Thank you Brittany for making my day, and here is a response to your question.

Here is the way that I started out with cloth diapers. Well, I had decided to do it even before baby was born, and it started out as a money thing, but then I came to realize all of the additional benefits besides saving tons of money. 

You will pay a good chunk of change upfront, but it pays off in the end. You have quite a few options in choosing what type of cloth you would like to use for your baby. There are flats, pre-folds that you have to get covers for, fitteds, all-in-ones (AIOs), and pocket diapers. The different types are explained in more detail here.   I also decided to use Happy Heinys One-size and I don't regret my decision in the least! They were about $20 (I got a couple of my Happy Heinys on black friday for $15ish a piece) per diaper.  With proper care, they have held up very well.  I have about 15 Happy Heinys diapers. They last for about 2 1/2 days. So, I still end up using the occasional disposable, but I have gotten it down to only a few a month.  Hopefully, someday I won't have to use any 'sposies at all.   On the HH diaper you also have the choice to get either a snap closure, or hook and loop (velcro, also called aplix) closure. I got the hook and loop, because I couldn't find the snaps available anywhere. But I have heard from another CDing mama that the hook and loop provides a better fit. These diapers are also made with PUL (polyurethane laminated fabric) which make the fabric waterproof, and keeping leaks out. I have never had a huge leak. Sure, I've had the situation where my baby has over saturated the insert, and the pee has nowhere to go but out, but for the most part, leaks have been minimal. To try and avoid this, I always have made sure to change my daughter's diaper at least every 2 hours or so. Every hour-and-a-half when she was newborn. Cloth diapers don't stink like pee (like disposables do) when baby's wet. Also for a heavy wetter, you also have the choice to stuff the diaper with more than one insert. The Happy Heinys come with two microfiber inserts (and infant and a toddler insert), you can also buy additional inserts (like hemp inserts which are supposed to be super absorbent).

Happy Heinys aren't confusing as to how to put on I did a ton of research when I was pregnant on which brand to get, and these were rated very high. These diapers are also daddy and babysitter friendly. I have had my mom watch my daughter a lot, and my mom loves how easy they are to deal with!   For nap-time, I use a Happy Heinys diaper stuffed with 2 inserts (both the toddler and the infant inserts.)

At bed-time I use a different diaper: I use Fuzzibunz One-Size diaper which are rated extremely well for night-time use, and they have stood up to that rating. For night, I stuff my fuzzibunz with both the toddler and the infant inserts that come with the diaper upon purchase. My daughter has slept through the night (8-10 hours) from about 6 weeks old, and fuzzibunz holds up all through the night, and I have never, not even once, had a leak with my fuzzibunz! I would still stay on the safe side, and order enough for two throughout the night. So, I have four fuzzibunz, since I do a load of diapers every 2-3 days.

When it comes to washing diapers, here is how I go about it. I store my soiled diapers in a diaper pail.  This pail is made of heavy duty plastic, and it has a locking lid. You can also buy laundry bags that go inside of the pail. They make lifting the diapers and transporting them to the washing machine easier. To store the diapers in the pail, I take the insert(s) out of the diaper. If the diaper is poopy, I wash the solid stuff off (if baby is exclusively breastfed, and its that liquidy poop (like you see when they are newborn), you don't need to wash it off) sometimes I get lucky, and the poop falls off, sometimes I have to take extra measures. When it comes to rinsing diapers, you have a few options. You can go for a diaper sprayer which attaches to your toilet, and you spray the diaper clean, or you can go for disposable diaper liners which are very handy, but they do cost about $10-20 every couple of weeks, or you can opt for the dunk-and-swish method, where you dunk the diaper (without the inserts) into the toilet and flush until the solid is all gone (this method sounds the messiest, but really, its not that bad).

The diapers must be washed at least every three days. This is how I wash mine. First, I make sure that the inserts are taken out of the pockets. Then I run the diapers through a rinse cycle. This rinses the pee out, so that you aren't washing your diapers in pee-water. Every once-in-a-while (like once a month or so) I will run it through two rinse cycles before I wash them. After I rise, I will run my diapers on the hot cycle using all free and clear laundry detergent.  There are other choices for detergents, and I have heard before that all free and clear is not a good choice.  However, I have not had a problem as of yet.  After the wash cycle is done, I put it through the rinse cycle one more time. By rinsing again, I am ensuring that all of the detergent is really out. Then I dry my diaper on low.  This is very important if your diapers have PUL, drying them on high can damage them.


Hope this article is helpful to you Brittany, and to all you new CD mamas out there! 

Eatin' time!

As a girl who likes loves to cook, is it any surprise that I make baby's food?  That's right, there's not much in the way of jars found in this house.  I make everything fresh for my baby.  There are so many advantages to making my own baby food.  First and fore-most it saves so much money.  With homemade food, I control exactly what and how much of it goes into my baby's food.  Making baby's food can be fulfilling, creative, and fun!  Wholesome Baby Food has been the most helpful site in guiding me in what I should feed my baby.  Another good site is Weelicious.  Of course get the ok from your baby's doctor first.

I love knowing that I know exactly what goes into my baby's food.  When my baby was first introduced to solids, the only ingredients I wanted into her foods were the fruit or veggie and water.  Now at 8 months, I have started to integrate some added spices (never salt or sugar, but spices like nutmeg).  Right from the beginning, I have used just enough water as is needed to make a puree.  Using just what is needed in addition to using fresh fruits and veggies, makes homemade baby food so much yummier!  It is so good in fact, that I have sampled everything that I have made.  If I won't eat it, I certainly don't want to make my baby eat it.

Making baby food can be creative and fun!  I first introduced each fruit or veggie separately, then once I determined that no reaction was caused by any of the foods, I started to mix them together to provide baby with a much wider variety then what is offered by jarred.  Some of my baby's favorites are butternut squash and apples, peas and greenbeans, and pears and avocado.

Homemade baby food doesn't require any special tools.  I use a vegetable steamer to steam most of my fruits and veggies.  Sometimes I will bake items such as squash or sweet potatoes.  After the food is cooked, I put it in my blender with a small amount of water (I use filtered) and blend it up to my desired consistency.  There are even some foods (bananas and avocado) that require nothing more than a bowl and a fork to mash.

I store my prepared baby food in vital baby freezer pots.  Once the food is frozen, I simply pop the little cubes out of the containers and store them in a labeled and dated freezer bag.

One Of The Best Choices I've Made For Baby Is....

Cloth diapering! Not only does it save money from week to week, but it is so much better for my baby and the environment. Sure, choosing cloth can be quite an up-front cost, however it really saves in the long run. In addition to cloth diapering, making my own wipes just adds to the savings.

Here is a breakdown of the average costs:

Disposable Diapers

A package of 180 disposable diapers, enough for about 3 weeks, costs $35-$40. At the end of 1 year $595-$680 will be spent on diapers alone. Wipes for a single container of 80, enough for 1 week, range from $4-$6. After 1 year, $208-312 will be spent on wipes. Add that to what is spent on diapers, and in 1 year $803-$992 will be spent on diapers and wipes. Diaper cream costs $4-$6 for 4 ounces. So add that to the growing bill. At the end of the day, disposables PLUS wipes PLUS diaper cream for 1 baby costs anywhere from $819-$1016 per year.

Cloth Diapers

My start-up cost for cloth diapers cost between $300-$400 (I have one-size diapers that will last me from birth to potty training); I have 17 pocket diapers (13 for day-time use and 4 that are for night-time) in my humble stash. The wipes that I make are made of water, baby lotion ($5--1 bottle will last for 2-3 months) and baby oil ($4--I am still on the same bottle that I got for my baby shower, so it will last for 6 months or so), I use viva paper towels that I purchase in a 6 pack ($8--this will last for 4 months). So altogether for a year supply of homemade wipes, I spend between $52-$62. Additionally, since cloth diapering is better on baby's sensitive skin, I have spent no money ($0, zero dollars, zip, zilch, nada) on diaper cream. My total is $52-$62 per year on wipes, and since I only have to pay for diapers once I will split the cost into thirds and say my little one will be potty trained by 3, so that is $100-$134 per year for diapers, bringing my total amount spent on diapers PLUS wipes up to $152-$196 per year.

In addition to the amazing savings, cloth is beneficial in so many other ways!

Cloth diapers are better against baby's sensitive skin. Like I mentioned before, my little one has had absolutely no diaper rash issues, and I contribute that to using cloth. One of the most common causes of diaper rash is baby's sensitivity to the chemicals (Dioxin (banned in many countries but not the U.S.), Tributyl-tin (TBT), polyacrylate; real diaper association)in disposable diapers (according to baby center; the new parents' guide).

In addition to being better for baby, cloth diapers are also better for the environment. Did you know that when using disposable diapers, the solid waste is supposed to be dumped into the toilet (RDA) however, most dirty diapers are not dumped, therefore lots of disposables (92%) end up in the landfill. Disposables also take a really long time (think hundreds of years) to decompose. I feel good knowing that I'm not contributing to that.

I do realize that cloth is not for everyone, there are those Moms that work and send their kids to daycare. I know that at most daycares, the teachers probably would look at a Mom who showed up with cloth diapers for their child like they had two heads and four sets of eyes. I first decided on cloth when I was about 6-months pregnant, and I got quite a few puzzling looks from quite a few people. However, once my baby arrived, friends and family got to see really how simple cloth is. However, working moms could cloth diaper their babies in the evenings and on the weekends.

I also know that not everyone is willing to do the bit of extra laundry that is required when you choose cloth. Honestly though, it is really not that much more of an effort. I wash diapers probably 2 times during the week and 1 time on the weekends. And there are also diaper services out there.

I'm also not unrealistic. I myself have used 'sposies from time to time. I always have a small amount on hand as a backup. I use maybe 2-3 a month. I use them when I am washing my diapers. I would like to get to the point where I don't have to use any 'sposies at all, but seeing as my stash is limited, I'll have to add to my collection of cloth before I can eliminate disposables.

For me the choice was simple, better choice for baby, better choice for the earth, better choice for me (and my wallet)!

****To read my HOW-TO article for newbies to cloth diapering, click HERE.****

What's best for baby (and your wallet)

What's more of a money saver than opting for breastfeeding over formula? According to La Leche League International, formula costs can range from $134 to $491 per month, totaling $1608 to $5892 per year!

Other than the obvious perk of being completely free (minus the cost of breastfeeding accessories such as a pump (I use a manual one--a good manual pump is the Lansinoh pump,) milk storage bags, bottles (for pumped milk for that occasional outing), lanolin, and nursing pads (to save money I use reusable ones--I use Fuzzibunz), breastfeeding is so much better for my baby. By breastfeeding, I am protecting my baby from many illnesses including ear infections, lower respiratory infections, and meningitis. Breastfeeding also offers protection against food allergies, obesity, and type 1 and 2 diabetes. Breast milk is tailored to each individual baby (breast feeding benefits). I love knowing that I am giving the best possible start to my baby's life.

As well as being a major benefit to my baby, breastfeeding is also benefitting me. I am able to loose the weight that I gained during pregnancy faster, I am reducing my risk of certain cancers, and lessening my chances of post-pardum psychological effects (benefits for mommy).

With as natural as breastfeeding is, it doesn't always come as naturally as one might think it would. Breastfeeding has a learning curve not only for mommy, but for baby as well. I found it helpful to throughly research nursing and all of the techniques before I had my baby. I read a ton of articles, and watched many videos on youtube so I was well prepared. Being so prepared helped me to be more calm when the time came (which was within 10 minutes of giving birth) to feed my baby. Your emotions translate over to the baby, and if you are not frustrated and clam, your baby will be calmer as well. Also I really took advantage of what was offered to me by letting the nurses in the hospital give their advice to me, and seeing the lactation consultant on staff.

Breastfeeding is a huge commitment, that is something that anyone who plans on nursing needs to know going in. Even I, who read and watched countless articles on breastfeeding, was somewhat shocked at just how much time I spend on the couch with my baby nursing. But the lost time is a sacrifice that I am more than willing to make for the health and well-being of my baby.

What a money saver

Something that is an absolute necessity for baby right from the start is baby wipes. Wipes can cost anywhere from $4-$7 a package, and they go quite quickly. Not to mention that these products can contain chemicals that could irritate baby's sensitive skin, or even cause health problems.

By making your own baby wipes, you can minimize health risks, as well as diaper rash. Wipes are surprisingly easy to make, and they don't take that much time either. I have been making my own baby wipes because I like the fact that I know exactly what is going onto my baby's skin.

What you will need:

• 2 cups of warm water 
• 2 tablespoons of baby oil
• 4 tablespoons of baby lotion
• 2-3 drops of tea tree oil
• bottle for storage (I use a plastic water bottle)
• choose a size paper towels (make sure that you use a quality paper towel; I use viva--they are nice and soft)
• container to keep wipes in (I use a wipes container from some wipes that I got at my baby shower; I made sure to clean the container first)
• scissors

The process:

• Put the baby oil, lotion, and water into a pot.
• Heat the pot over low heat. (the ingredients don't have to be heated before you combine them, however, they will mix easier if they are slightly heated)
• Using a wisk, vigorously mix the oil, lotion, and water together.
• Turn the heat off.
• Using a funnel, pour the mixture from the pot into the empty bottle.
• Add 2-3 drops of tea tree oil (use an eye-dropper) to your prepared wipes solution.
• Allow the mixture to cool. (it should only be slightly warm)

• While the solution is cooling, tear 6-7 sheets from the choose a size paper towel roll.
• Cut the stack of paper towels in half width-wise.
• Place the stack into your wipes container.

• After the wipes solution has cooled, shake the mixture.
• Pour enough mixture over the cut paper towels to throughly the wipes.

• Close the lid, and let sit for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes open the lid of your container and flip the stack of paper towels over.
• Close the lid.

That's it. Simple as that. Make sure that you don't saturate too many wipes at once. Since these wipes don't have preservatives in them, they won't keep as long. I make only as many as I need for a day or two (7-10 choose a size sheets). For the diaper bag, I have a travel wipes case that I fill with only as many wipes as I will need.