Tired of leaky poopy dipes? Try cloth!
Feb 20 '04
The Bottom Line I highly recommend cloth for the first six months, but don't be afraid to cry uncle when it gets to be too much.
Being a strong supporter of all things natural, I was already predisposed toward cloth when my first child was born. However, also being the type of person who likes to know everything there is to know about a subject before making a decision, I did a lot of research. The best (and at the time, only really thorough) source I found was a book called Diaper Changes by Theresa Rodriguez Farrisi. This is by far the most thorough and helpful discussion of the benefits of cloth diapers, as well as a practical guide to actually using them.
The main subjects she covers in her book are:
Types of cloth diapers, including observations and recommendations;
Diaper covers, with recommendations and tips on helping them last longer;
Various necessary accessories, like pins, liners, diaper pails, how to make your own wipes, etc;
Issues of cost, environmental impact, and health and safety;
Tips on diapering, including folding, double diapering, and a "what to buy" list;
Tips on washing diapers and covers;
Traveling with cloth diapers;
Making your own diapers; and
A resource section that lists vendors of the discussed products, including websites.
I read this book cover to cover several times before my oldest daughter was born, and eventually decided to use a diaper service. In our area (Chicagoland), the local diaper service was a little more expensive than she lists in the book, but that is to be expected. For me, it was worth it to have beautiful, soft, clean diapers delivered every week. They even provided (at a minimal cost) a hamper that held a "deo-disk" (also provided, at no charge), which does a great job of absorbing the odor of the soiled diapers.
I also chose to use Gerber's "EZ Cover" velcro diaper covers, partially because they were the least expensive, highly recommended, and easily available. They have served me well, but after 3 kids, they are in need of replacement. At $6 each, that's doable.
When my daughter got a little older, I decided to buy some diapers and wash them myself. Based on the advice I got from this book, I asked my diaper service if they would sell me their worn-out ones, which were still usable and relatively inexpensive. I also got great tips from the book on how to keep them from smelling up the house without having to do a load every other day. I continued to do this until my daughter was old enough that she was soaking them faster than I could reasonably change them. At that point, it just didn't make much sense to suffer when she would be fine in disposables.
When my second child arrived, I found that no matter what I did, the covers rubbed her umbilical cord mercilessly, so I had to use disposables until it fell off, then I used the cloth until she, too, started soaking them.
Now that my third is six months old, the diaper covers aren't doing their job as well, but to be honest, I haven't replaced them because I don't think I'm going to continue to use the cloth anymore now that he's eating solid food (and by extension, his poop is more solid). Which leads me to my biggest argument in favor of cloth diapers:
LEAKY POOPY DIPES!
Now, if you don't have children yet, and haven't experienced the breastmilk poop, let me describe to you the scenario:
When babies are fed breastmilk, their stool is runny, mustard-colored, and (by relative standards) slightly sweet-smelling. (That's not to say it's enjoyable, just not as offensive as what is to come later.) Because it is very runny, but not as quickly absorbed as urine, it has a tendency to leak (or get "blown") right out of the average disposable, particularly if you don't change that diaper the minute she's done. (Which simply isn't possible a lot of times...)
These "blowouts" come in small (just a little smear on the clothes), medium (a small puddle) and OMIGOD!!! (how that much poop can come out of such a tiny baby I'll never know), but they usually mean changing not just the diaper but the clothes too. In the early days when babies often poop after each feeding, this can sometimes mean up to 8 clothing changes a day if you're especially unlucky.
I have never had this problem with cloth diapers.
To some extent, the friction provided by the cotton diaper helps, but most of the mess is contained by the elastic of the diaper cover. Therefore, you simply change the diaper and the cover, but baby's outfit stays clean, and mommy doesn't lose her mind doing endless laundry.
So even though my youngest ends up slightly damp sometimes because the covers just don't hold up as well anymore, I'm willing to put up with that to avoid the "blowouts."
But I'll confess--now that he's eating solids and a little formula, his poop is a lot more solid, so I have canceled my diaper service. I might continue to use some of the cloth diapers I own, but for the time being, I'm being lazy and using the disposables. With 3 kids age 3 and under to chase after, I think I can allow myself that.
P.S. A tip for lessening blowout damage while you're using disposables (e.g. vacations): put a larger size diaper over your baby's diaper, like a cover. Take care to make sure the gussets of the smaller one are inside those of the larger one. You can fold down the front of the larger one as necessary (toward the inside of the diaper). This trick (folding down the larger diaper) can also work in a pinch if you run out of diapers and can only find larger ones. (Though by itself, it probably won't help with the blowouts.)
Best of luck!
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