Wednesday, November 4, 2009

How I Chose my Cloth

I'm participating in a blog hop over at The Cloth Diaper Report about how to build a cloth diaper stash and this week's topic is how did you choose what kinds/brands.

I started out by researching for days on the internet, which just made me overwhelmed and unsure. First I had to learn all the lingo, like what an AIO was, or a prefold, or what OS meant. After that I had to think of how much money I could spend. I had this idea that I needed to get a whole stash right away and go from disposable to cloth overnight. You can do this, but you certainly don't have to. I'm realizing that now.

Anyway, so I researched and saw how much things cost and got a little worried I wouldn't be able to do it. Then I looked on craigslist and found some people in the Ann Arbor area selling their diapers. I was really into the idea of buying used, especially for just starting out. I had read all about how you just don't know what will work for you, and I didn't want to spend a ton of money on something that may not be our favorite. Plus, my daughter was a year old and she's the only one we're having, so these diapers would be used for a year and then we wouldn't need them anymore. I think that made a difference to me, if we were going to have another baby I would feel better about spending more money since they could be reused.

I had two women I was supposed to meet with about their diapers. One had 10 Bum Genius diapers, which would've been $100. The other lady had a box full of "old style" diapers (she said) for $50. I went to her first. She had the motherload of fitted diapers! They are all one size, some aplix closure, some snaps. All have snap in doublers. And there were close to 50 diapers in the box! Plus she had some prefolds and covers, although they were old Gerber plastic pants and not really what I wanted to use...So, I never did make it to the other lady's house, I just bought the huge stash and went home all excited!

We used those exclusively for about a month, and I never had a problem with them. I really liked the big diaper butt look, and the crisp white cotton just looked so--healthy? So much better than paper disposables! And to me, the fact they didn't have pins just made them SO much better than what I thought cloth would be!!

Then, we won two brand spankin' new Fuzzi Bunz diapers from a blog giveaway, and my life changed. They were so amazing, so absorbent, so cute in green and blue. Suddenly my fitteds looked old and bulky. So, back to craigslist and I found a woman selling her old Medium FuzziBunz diapers. I got ten and we were set. And since then I've swapped some of the fitteds for Bum Genius, DryBees, wahms, other covers, and now we have a really diverse stash. Not at all what I'd planned on, either!

I think that's the important thing to realize--you cannot imagine what you're going to like, what is going to work for you, and how those things are going to change as your child gets older. Be flexible, go with the flow, like most other things with being a parent!


MckLinky Blog Hop

4 comments:

Mommy, Papa and the 'Nuts said...

I'm tempted to try these this time 'round. With Lo we used g Diapers, but then I got pregnant with Cesca and got sick of flushing and swishing...so went back to disposables. I guess we need to talk details. We travel a LOT. We are out ALWAYS. Is this a pain, or nothing different???

Anonymous said...

I totally wish I had lived in a more populated area so I had the option to buys some used diapers that I could see before purchasing, OR that I had discovered Diaper Swappers way back when....thanks for the Diaper Tips and sharing your story!

P.S. to Mommy, Papa and the 'Nuts: I am reviewing the gDiapers right now and although they're fine, my husband and I agree that they are more work that conventional cloth diapers or other cloth/disposable options like the Grobaby or Flip diapers. These would give you the option of putting in a disposable insert while you're out if that's what you're most comfortable with, but have cloth inserts when at home.

I go out and about with cloth all the time though and it's not a big deal for me. You just need a good wetbag!

Mommy, Papa and the 'Nuts said...

Thanks Emi! I'll look into those, but also all those others Amber has listed.

Amber Liddle said...

I agree with Emi, the gdiaper is nice with cloth in at home and the disposable when out and about. And with others while you're out, get a wet bag and remember to take it out after you get home, not much more work than with disposables.