When you think about cloth diapering on a budget, I guarantee you probably go straight to thinking about prefolds and diaper covers. It's the most economical choice {unless you have expensive tastes for say, super fine cashmere wool covers} when it comes to using cloth diapers – or any diapers for that matter.
It is pretty amazing that realistically, you could cloth diapers a child for right at $100 for the entire time they are in cloth. Sure – we can argue it up both sides and down – you might want smaller prefolds when they're younger, etc, but it can be done and probably for less than $100 if you really tried.
I'm no expert on prefolds or flats. I used them very little with both of my girls. They were probably my favorite way to cloth diaper in the first few weeks of Sophia and Moreaya's life because they were cheap and easy. I simply tri-folded a prefold and laid it in a cover. I even used a snappi a few times on Moreaya with a cover. The reason – they were cheap. When I was changing so many Reusable Diaper everyday and most of our OS diapers were too big, I didn't want to invest in newborn pockets or AIOs just for a few weeks.
A prefold and cover was actually Sophia's first cloth diaper that she ever wore… at 3 weeks old.
Another great thing about using prefolds and covers is the fact that anything can become a prefold. When we talked about Pocket diaper really cheap, I shared that covers have been stuffed with numerous items – old t-shirts, receiving blankets, towels… Think about it. There weren't PUL covers back in the day – people used what they had.
cloth diapers, just like your household towels and favorite t-shirts, will eventually begin to show signs that they are well loved parts of your family’s daily life. Here are some tips for keeping them in great condition for as long as possible:
laundry-tab-inst_vertTip #1: On Hybrid Hook/Loop Shells, ALWAYS use the Tuck Under Tabs before laundering!
Avoid laundry “diaper chains,” damage, and premature wear and tear. The Tuck Under Tab is one reason the GroVia Hybrid is so beloved by cloth diapering families. Just trust.
Tip #2: Hang or lay your GroVia Hybrid Shells flat to dry.
By the time your Soaker Pads, Prefolds, and All in Ones have finished tumble-drying, your Shells will be dry or almost there. Not exposing them to heat from your dryer protects elastics, snaps, and Hook/Loop materials from becoming worn or warped.
Tip #3: Have a large enough rotation.
All in one diapers are worn around the clock by a single child for sometimes more than two or even three years! Having a large enough rotation—at least 36 diaper changes per child in diapers—will prevent the need to repair or purchase replacements before your child is out of diapers. suds_750x750smallishTip #4: Keep your wash routine SIMPLE!Soaking in water, detergent, or enzyme cleaners, performing unneeded extra rinses, and/or using too little detergent, followed by frequent and involved “stripping” processes are some of the top reasons cloth diaper families experience premature wear and tear on the products they have invested in. Learn more about laundry
Tip #5: Rinse and wring out your overnight diapers before placing them in your diaper pail.
By diluting what your baby’s overnight cloth diaper has been holding onto for 12+ hours, you are ensuring that your simple wash routine with plenty of good-cleaning detergent will be ALL it takes to get the whole load clean on the first try. It’s JUST like your nicest jeans or tops: the less laundering your cloth diapers have to go through, the better they will hold up over time.
Tip #6: If it’s time to buy a new washer and dryer, choose HE.
What??! Doesn’t everybody say a standard washer with an agitator (and HEAVY water usage) is better for cleaning heavily soiled laundry like cloth diapers?
Some do say that, BUT if you’re using enough of a good-cleaning, HE-friendly detergent, and your detergent is in contact with the soiled fabrics for ~45 min., your diapers will get clean. Organic cotton does not always love a mechanical agitator.
Tip #7: Utilize the industry’s only Snap Conversion Program!
As a brand, we highly value keeping our product out of landfills. New life can be breathed into Hybrid Hook/Loop Shells by simply snap converting them. For this reason, GroVia offers the industry’s only snap conversion program!
Tip #8: Consider No Prep Soaker Pads or O.N.E. if longevity is your #1 priority.
The materials in both No Prep Soaker Pads and in the O.N.E. Diaper by GroVia were chosen with families who highly value longevity in mind.
Proper care and stash size still matter (within reason), but these materials are inherently more stable than some of their counterparts. If you’re building a cloth diaper stash for a first baby and anticipating using the same One Size cloth diapers to diaper another child, take a look at No Prep Soaker Pads and O.N.E. first.
Tip #9: Smooth out the wings of your Hook/Loop Tabs before you hang or lay the Shells to dry.
This goes a long way in keeping them nicely shaped and functioning beautifully.
Tip #10: Buy new.
There are lots of good reasons to purchase secondhand #clothdiapers, but if longevity is a priority for you, buy new. New #clothdiapers from authorized GroVia retailers come with our GroVia warranty (one full year from the date of purchase) and have their full life ahead of them. You also have complete control over how they’re cared for.
Tip #11: Unsnap organic All in One and O.N.E. Diaper Boosters before tossing in the diaper pail.
This will prevent stress points from forming in the fabric around the snaps as well as ensure best agitation of all pieces of the diaper. *Note: There is NO good reason to take the time to unsnap rise snaps before laundering. Don’t bother!
Tip #12: Use the sun.before-after2
If part of your longevity goal for your #clothdiapers is to keep them in re-sellable condition, you’ll want to keep them as free of stains as possible. Fortunately, that’s not difficult; the sun erases organic stains from organic cotton, while a good-cleaning detergent with enzymes will attack protein stains. Learn more
Tip #13: Between children, store your diaper insert well with longevity in mind.
Clean them thoroughly. Sun any stains. Make any repairs needed. Store in a breathable container, like a pillowcase. (Air-tight, plastic storage is actually not the best choice.) Store in a climate-controlled part of your house. Take out to launder 2-3 times a year to keep elastics from becoming brittle and allow fabrics to remain clean and dustmite-free.
Tip #14: Don’t stress TOO much about it.
A basic paradigm of care ordered toward protecting your investment in cloth diapers will keep you covered—if a Shell makes it into the dryer once on accident, all is not lost. ;)
I’m always happy to add new cloth diapers to our fluffy stash, so I was excited for the opportunity to try out Lil Bums cloth diapers. Lil Bums sent us 2 complimentaryPocket diaper in their newest prints.
The elephant print has a super soft minky outer that’s covered in cute colorful elephants. It’s not only super soft, but adorable as well. The other print is a fun gray and white chevron. It’s outer is made of a silky polyester material, and Lil Bums advertises that this material makes it perfect to use the diaper cover as aswimming diapers!
The inner linings in all Lil Bums cloth diapers are made of a soft stay dry suede lining, designed to wick away moisture, keeping baby as dry and comfortable as possible.
Lil Bums pocket diapers come with two inserts, one microfiber and one organic bamboo cotton liner. This allows you to customize the fit and absorption that suits your little one best. Their cloth diapers are one size, with snaps that adjust at the waist as well as the rise of the diaper. These diapers adjust to fit most babies and toddlers from 8 pounds up to 35 pounds.
I love to see these super cute prints on William’s bum! I like that Lil Bums has several prints to choose from, even for a boy, as well as really bright solids. William is a pretty heavy wetter, so I have to use both inserts, which makes the diapers pretty bulky on him. I wish there was a thinner option, but the double insert doesn’t seem to bother him, or slow him down, as he’s always on the go these days!
William is 11 months old and around 20 pounds; we have this diaper on the smallest rise, and the waist is snapped almost all the way. He is pretty skinny for his age though. It seems like the cut of this diaper is pretty generous, so I think it would be a good choice if you have big or tall babies, and will likely fit nicely until they are potty trained.
Lil Bums baby cloth diaper retail for $12.99 each, with both inserts included. They also offer a discount on cloth diapering starter kits that come with 6, 12, or 18 diapers, along with travel wet bag, and pail/hamper liner. Head on over to lilbumsclothdiapers.com and check out these cute prints, especially if you have little boys. I think you will be pleasantly surprised!
If you’re ready to accessorize your cloth diapers stash, you’ve come to the perfect Event! A fabulous group of bloggers have come together to help you do just that – with Cloth Diaper and Cloth Diaper Accessory Giveaways! If you love cloth diapering, then you’ll love hopping around to see what each blog has in store for you and your Fluffy Stash!
Buttons Cloth Diapers were one of my favorite systems when I was cloth diapering my girls. It’s an All-in-Two system [read a full review of this system here that is perfect for new parents and really anyone who is cloth diapering, especially cloth diapering on a budget.
Buttons Cloth Diapers wants to give one reader a great addition to their Cloth Diaper Stash by giving the winner their choice of 1 Diaper Cover and 3 daytime inserts! This hop is all about accessorizing your stash, so they’re throwing in 2 packs of Cloth Wipes – winner’s choice of Velour or Cotton Flannel!
We can’t talk cloth diaper accessories without talking about Diaper Sprayers and Spray-Pal. The Spray-Pal is a family invented product that keeps rinsing cloth diapers less messy. It’s simple to use – clip your cloth diapers inside the Spray Pal, spray them off with your Diaper Sprayer, then squeeze out the excess water. Your Pocket diaper are now ready to throw into your cloth diaper pail. Spray-Pal is giving our Grand Prize Winner a Spray-Pal AND Diaper Sprayer!
You probably already know that you can’t use dryer sheets with your baby cloth diaper, but you can use wool dryer balls. They’re a simple way to cut out the use of chemicals in your home and can also help reduce your drying time by 10-25%… saving you money and conserving energy! LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls are some of my favorites that I’ve ever had the chance to review. They’re made in Maine in quite a few beautiful colors! Our Grand Prize Winner will receive a 3 pack of LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls.
The decision to cloth diaper is easy for some. But if you are like me, there are a million questions that need to be answered first. Cloth diapering today is so different from the way our grandmothers did it. I have talked to many women who remember cloth diapering to be a burdensome task that they were not sorry to see go with the dawn of “paper diapers.”
Thankfully, cloth diapers have changed! We have high-tech washing machines, advanced fabrics and designs, and a wealth of information via the Internet to aid us in the task. I also know that cloth diapering is not for everyone, so check out the bottom of the post for some non-cloth eco-friendly options.
Cloth Diapers: Things to Consider
There are a few things to consider before you begin your research that will aid your decision-making process. What is your primary reason for choosing cloth diapers? Reasons may include cost, health of baby’s skin, protecting the environment by cutting down on waste, or simply because they are just so soft and cute!
Next, it is wise to determine your budget. I recommend doing this ahead of time because once you start looking at all of the cute patterns available it is difficult to control the urge to buy them all!
Once you know your reason for cloth diapering and have a budget in mind, you can then begin your search for what diapering system will best meet your needs. Some people like a variety and some prefer all one type. I have gone back and forth between having a diverse collection and wanting everything exactly the same for ease of use, washing, and storage.diaper insert
How Cloth Diapers Have Changed
Diapering has evolved tremendously over the years. From ancient times when babies were wrapped in leaves and animal skins to the more “modern” flat which consisted of a large square piece of cotton flannel or muslin which was folded and fixed with pins. Women had almost no alternatives when it came to diapering their children and were at the mercy of what limited resources they had on hand. Today, mothers have countless options to choose from and cloth diapers have not only become very easy to use and care for, but they are cute too!
In the last 20 years the biggest changes have been the type of materials used and the style and shape of the diaper. Plastic pull-on covers have been replaced by PUL (polyurethane laminate) or wool. Square, flat muslin diapers have been replaced by fitted styles with snap or hook and loop closures.
PUL is a breathable, tight-knit polyester which is laminated to make it waterproof. Covers made from PUL are usually paired with a fitted cotton diaper and allow heat and water vapor to pass through but keep wetness locked inside. These covers can have specific sizes or can be made with different snap settings that allow the diaper cover to grow with your child.
Wool also makes an excellent cover because of its natural ability to absorb moisture while still allowing for good circulation of air, keeping your little one’s bottom cool. You might be thinking, “Wool!?” But I assure you, wool makes an excellent choice for a diaper cover (here’s why).
Probably the most important feature of a cloth diaper is the absorbency. I can only imagine what it must have been like to try to contain a baby’s “deposits” with leaves! When women began using fabric scraps they must have felt like queens! But even more absorbent and user friendly than fabric scraps are the soft, fitted cloth diapers we have today.
In addition to increased absorbency, modern diapers make use of elastic in the leg area to help contain messes. Gone are the days of leaky, messy babies. I have found that I have almost no blow-outs (you know what kind I am talking about) with cloth. In fact, on rare occasions when I have used a disposable, I still put a PUL cover on over the disposable because they are so much more effective at containing messes.
As long as there are babies, there will be a need for diapers and these new features make cloth diapering easy. However, this is not to say that many back-to-basic mothers have not made great use of the classic flat or pre-fold as part or all of their diapering stash. There are so many options that it is easy to find a system that works best for you and your baby cloth diaper.
