My Cloth Diapering Experience

I've had several people ask me about my cloth diapering routine, so I thought I'd share a little bit of my rationale for doing it and the system I've worked out for managing them. There's a lot of information out there, and it can be overwhelming to a new mother. I admit I was a little intimidated by the idea at first, especially with everything else that goes along with having a baby, but looking back, it's been a decision I have never regretted. My routine is fairly simple, and I'd like to share it.

First, I decided to do cloth diapers for several reasons: to save money, to avoid unnecessary waste, and because I really didn't know any differently. Several of my friends cloth diaper (CD) so I had lots of support. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I think the cloth diapers keep Catherine drier and more comfortable and help her sleep through the night. And they come in such pretty colors and patters. These are all great bonus reasons I wasn't anticipating.

Gratuitous rainbow arrangement of diapers. This will never happen again.

I also realize cloth diapers aren't a realistic option for a lot of people for various reasons such cost, day care requirements, and the ick factor. I don't really care if people CD their babies or not. Time and energy are the ultimate precious resources with babies, so I totally get not wanting to waste time stuffing diapers. I personally don't mind that bit of extra work. I also have a supportive family who are all on board with CD (once they realized I wasn't talking about the kind you had to fold and safety pin). I wouldn't want to do that either!

I chose to use the BumGenius 4.0s since they're the most popular kind and offer flexibility with liners and inserts. Many other kinds of diapers are out there, and I kept my fingers crossed that they would work. Thankfully they did! We used disposables with Catherine for the first eight weeks since her legs were too skinny for the cloth diapers. CD is not too much different from using disposable diapers (except for two extra loads of laundry per week). And after you have a baby, your laundry exponentially increases so you'll hardly notice. ;-)

My Setup

• Changing pad. I have the Playtex DiaperGenie Smart Cushion from Target.
• Basket with cloth wipes, spray, and disposable wipes. I like the Cotton Babies wipes. 12 come in a package, but I might buy a second to have more. The recipe for spray I use is simple. In a small spray bottle from the travel-sized toiletry section at Wal-Mart, I fill it mostly with water and then add 1-2 pumps of Catherine's Burt's Bees bath soap, and 2-3 drops of tea tree oil from Trader Joe's. I just shake it up when I am ready to spray it on one of the cloth wipes. It smells great, and Catherine hasn't had any serious diaper rash. More recipes are here.
• Diapers. Most sites recommend 24--I have 28. Depending on how much your baby wets, you might want more or need fewer. Catherine's diapers are very absorbent so they can last a little longer than disposables. I chose the kinds with snaps since Velcro is the silent killer in your laundry. It snags on EVERYTHING. Beware. The BumGenius Freetimes work great at night, but have to be air-dryed so they take a little longer in the laundry. Other friends of mine like GroVia and TotsBots.
• 2 PlanetWise Reusable Diaper Pail Liners. One for the trash can and one in the laundry. 
• 2 PlanetWise Wet Diaper Bags in size medium 
• SimpleHuman step trash can. Any trash can will work. I just wanted one that would look nice, last a long time, and close silently. I'm weirdly particular about my trash cans, too.

I wash Catherine's diapers with Charlie's Laundry Powder every 2-3 days. I hang dry the liners and tumble dry the liners and wipes with some felted wool laundry balls my sister made for me (you can also purchase these online, but they're much cheaper that way). Then I stuff the liners back into the diapers while watching TV or something at night. I add the newborn liner with the regular adjustable liner at night for extra absorbency. When we are out and about, I take a few extra CD in her bag and use disposable wipes. I always keep some disposable diapers in her bag as well for emergencies. They occasionally get used when camping or traveling or if someone in the nursery can't figure out how to use the cloth diaper. 

I hope this has been helpful for you as you embark on your CD experience. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments.