Cloth diapers these days are nothing like the old terry cloth towels you had to fold and pin. These days they have all-in-one diapers that work just like a disposable, that, once soiled, you dump a flushable liner into the toilet, and put the diaper into a lidded bucket. Once the bucket is full, you just dump the diapers into the washing machine. Since we don't have a clothes dryer, we'll have to remove the liner for it to dry. I've done a test run of the ones I bought and they dried easily overnight, despite it being fall/winter in England. It's a few more steps than a disposable, but we'll see how it goes. I'm very realistic about it, and plan to use disposables when necessary and possibly also in the first few weeks until we get used to the routine of taking care of the baby.
When some people first hear that Pedro and I have decided to try cloth diapering, I tend to get some raised eyebrows. I've talked with a few women here in England who have successfully used cloth diapers from birth to potty and our local council will even reimburse us $100 of what it costs to pay for the diapers themselves. After talking a lot about it, our reasons for wanting to try it out are baby health, economy, and the environment. I could paraphrase all the research I've done here, but I'm not out to preach to anyone since I have yet to try it out myself. While I'm not yet 100% certain that it will work for us, we're committed to give it a good try - a bit more than that, I think. If you're interested I will leave you with some good links at the end of the post. I also have a lot more information if anyone is more curious.
The Nappy [Diaper] Lady website: http://www.thenappylady.co.uk/
“Pocket” diapers (the kind that is probably best for us since we don't have a dryer): http://www.weecarediapercompany.com/weecart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=7
Green parenting / diapers http://www.grizzlybird.net/labels/diapers.html
Cloth diaper care, step by step: http://www.grizzlybird.net/2006/03/how-to-wash-cloth-diapers-at-home.html#links
Natural baby wipes http://www.naturodoc.com/library/children/newborn_skin.htm
More general info: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/ecotip_nappies.php
2 comments:
Sounds like y'all have really done your research! I have a friend who is using cloth diapers and she made the cutest wool diaper covers which help keep the wetness in. I'm sure I could get the patterns for you or even give you her email if you're interested.
I think it is also good that you're not totally against disposables. The first 3 months the baby will probably poop every 2 hours -- or at least Ben did -- and pee every hour in between. You'll need to have a decent stockpile of cloth diapers to keep up!
Love your pic . . . you look great as usual!
Amanda - I don't have a sewing machine, otherwise I would be interested in the patterns. I haven't created a stockpile YET - instead I got a few different types to try out to see what works best for us, since the up-front cost isn't exactly cheap!
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