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The Basics of Cloth DiaperingApr 19 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line With some practice, you will find cloth diapers to be a gentle and affordable alternative than the disposable counterpart. Cloth away, mommies!
There are many times when I wonder why I use cloth diapers. First and foremost, cloth diapers take more work. Secondly, you have to get pretty personal with your child's waste products. Lastly, I find I need to change more cloth diapers than I do disposable ones. No matter, after four years of using cloth diapers, I still find the benefits outweigh the negative aspects of using cloth diapers. BASIC STEPS IN USING CLOTH DIAPERS I. Purchasing Cloth Diapers If finances allow, you can purchase cloth diapers that are contoured to fit your baby and less bulky than the old cloth alternatives. At first, using cloth diapers may seem expensive if you buy new diapers from the more well-known cloth diaper companies. Some of these companies are Kushies, The Natural Baby Company, Bummis, and Ecobaby. I personally prefer the all-in-one diaper by Kushies and the Rainbow diaper from the Natural Baby Company. The most affordable way to purchase cloth diapers is by buying the used. I have purchased most of my diapers in consignment stores. If you prefer to buy new, $300.00 can buy a 2-3 year supply. This is more affordable than the $1200 disposable diapers will cost you. II. Using Cloth Diapers Cloth Diapers are more complicated to use than disposable diapers. However, if you purchase the all-in-one diaper, you will find them just as easy to use as disposables. I prefer the contoured or hourglass shape diaper with a diaper cover. I diaper my baby first by laying the diaper on top of the diaper cover. If you have a contoured diaper, just lay the diaper so the baby's bottom is completely covered to avoid leakage onto clothes or diaper cover. If you bought a rectangular diaper, you need to shape the diaper to fit the baby. First, lay the diaper atop the cover. Than, fold the sides inward. Next, open the top to shape diaper like a triangle. Now, place your baby on top of the triangle-shaped diaper. Bring the bottom of the diaper up to cover baby's front. Than, bring sides of diaper in. At this point, you can either pin or hold diaper in place with one hand while using the diaper cover to close diaper in. This sounds complicated, but with practice it becomes easier. III. Cleaning Cloth Diapers This for me is the worst part about cloth diapers. Mainly, it is cleaning the poopies that gets to me. I use my toilet to rinse the poopoo out. Pee-pee diapers I just throw in the pail until ready to clean. To wash, we use hot water, a little bleach, gentle soap and sometimes Borax. Make sure to use the hottest settings on the washer and dryer to insure all bacteria is killed. CONCLUSION If you choose to use cloth diapers, you have made a good decision. Yes, they take more work. Yes, you have to deal with more waste. But, you have the comfort of knowing your child is in a soft diaper that has no chemicals, perfumes or absorbents. Not to mention, cloths are much more affordable than the disposable alternative.  |
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