Some Thoughts on Cloth Diapers

A reader asked for my opinion on a simple to use and cost effective cloth diaper, so I thought I would list what I have along with great, cost effective ways to buy cloth.

I have four different types of cloth diapers; bumGenius 3.0, flip, Econobum, and Gro Baby. When I first started, flip and Econobum hadn't come out yet, so we bought several (14) Bumgenius 3.0's. Then I won a flip diaper and the four GroBaby diapers, and I bought an Econobum so I could tell you guys how I like it. I have written a post more thoroughly explaining the differences between flip, Grobaby, and Econobum for another blog, and when it's posted I will definitely post the link. For now, here's a quick blurb about each of the four that I have:

• Econobum - This is definitely the cheapest quailty diaper of the four, but hey, that's what they advertise it as. Bare bones economical cloth. You use snaps to secure the diaper, and you can reuse the same shell several times. They are $9.99 each.
• flip - This is the higher quality version of the Econobum. You get color and insert choices, and it will probably (I don't know this for sure!) last longer. It's also roughly twice the price. These start at $16.99 each.
• Gro Baby- I call these the Aston Martins of this style. They are organic cotton, have velcro tabs, and are adorable. They absorb well and seem like they'd last longer than the other two. Did I mention cute? Oh, and when I say Aston Martin, I mean they're $24.99 each!
• bumGenius 3.0 - These are different from the other three in that you stuff the inserts into the shell instead of laying them on top. Therefore, when the diaper is dirty, you start with a whole new one instead of just a fresh insert. These things absorb TONS and will also grow with your baby. These are $17.99 each.

Okay, I know that was sparse on details. As I said, I wrote up a whole post describing the differences between those first three for another blog. I will link up to that post as soon as it's up!

Now, here's my thoughts on what I've got and some tips on starting your stash inexpensively.

Since I obviously have the most of the 3.0's, I use those the most. They are good quality and I have never had a leak problem. The only times I have had a leak, it's been my fault (oops..should have changed that diaper a WHILE ago!) They are great for overnight use and I love them. The cons? The velcro is already seriously showing some wear and it's only been 8 months since I started using them full time. They offer velcro replacement kits for free, but since I don't sew (again with the not being crafty!) I would have to get help from one of my crafty friends (which I thankfully have an abundance of.) The laundry tabs no longer stay put, so when I pull them out of the washing machine it's like monkeys in a barrel. They all come out together! But they do dry quickly and I think they're incredibly easy to use. There was a point before my 9 month old started crawling that I thought her legs would be too chubby for them. But after she started crawling around, the problem went away and they now fit just fine at the legs.

As for the other three, the Econobum and flip are fine but not my favorites. The flip insert absorbs extremely well, but I just don't like the snaps very much. They are both trimmer between the legs than the Bumgenius 3.0's, so it's easier to find pants that fit with them. (Oh yeah, with a thicker cloth diaper like the 3.0's, it's hard to find a good fitting pant, so be aware of that...that's why babylegs are so awesome!) Grobaby has velcro tabs and they are so stinking cute. I love them almost as much as my 3.0's, but they're pricey. Maybe you could splurge and buy a few just to try!

If you're interested in trying cloth but don't know what you want and don't want to spend an arm and a leg on something you'll hate, try out the $10 trial from JilliansDrawers.com. You pay $10 to get a 21 day trial of 6 different diapers. This will give you a good feel for what you like and don't like. It will also help you to better understand just what it is we mean when we're talking about "all in ones" and "prefolds" and "one size" (I know..it was all SUPER confusing to me at first too!)

Diaper Junction has a similar deal where you can buy a sample package for $57.50. This kit and several other diapers are available risk free for 30 days, meaning if you hate them, you get your money back, end of story. You're just out the shipping (which is free on orders over $75.)

One last thing. If you're going to use cloth, bite the bullet and buy cloth diaper detergent like Tiny Bubbles Laundry Detergent or Charlie's Soap Powder. It's pricey, but it's worth it. We started to have a bad smell problem with our 3.0's and using Tiny Bubbles seems to be taking care of it. I haven't used Charlie's Soap but I have friends who rave about it, so you could try either one.

Phew, ok there is so much more I could say but I'll stop now. There is just so much information! I will try to post soon about washing instructions and whatnot. If you have ANY questions or think this post is unclear at all, please leave a comment. I will answer you to the best of my ability!

Comments

[Andrea]

This was so helpful! Just ordered the trial package of diapers from JilliansDrawers.com (based on your suggestion, I also ordered a trial of diaper detergent) and can't wait for it to arrive. My order hasn't even been shipped yet, but I already feel like a cloth diaper convert!

[The Budget Mommy:]

I am so glad! I wish I had known about the JilliansDrawers trial when I first started. I'm very happy with what I've got, but it would have made things a little easier to figure out!

I hope you love them. I was really reticent to try cloth but I am soo glad that I did! Please come back and let me know what you think after you've used them!

[Heather @ Green Baby Green Mam]

Great post. I love my Fuzzibunz one size and my Thirsties diaper covers. You should try those too!

[The Budget Mommy:]

Thank you! I have heard great things about Fuzzibunz and Thirsties. I would love to get my hands on some to try. I started with the bumGenius 3.0's because they seemed easier. I'm ready to try any kind now!

[Jennifer]

All hail Charlie's Soap. We've used it for years and I can't rave about it enough. I hate chemical fragrances and couldn't stomach any commercial detergents. I love that my laundry washed in Charlie's smells like NOTHING. Like clean laundry. Not a purfume factory.
We started out with the bumGenius bamboo XS (sadly discontinued) for our 2-month-old twins with the Thirsties covers. And we've got a ton of bG3.0 for the boys now that they're getting bigger. We calculated our savings over disposables for two babies would break even quickly, so we got 40+ diapers. My hope is they will last longer due to the larger number in rotation. The Charlies soap is great all-purpose for diapers, baby laundry and grown-up laundry. We just bought a 40 lbs bucket that ought to last us a while. We do a LOT of laundry.
Also, just in case you're interested in cloth, we got both the bamboo and the 3.0s on sale so we saved a lot. The 3.0s were B6G1 free over the summer. I've seen them B5G1 free too. And cottonbabies.com has 5% off codes for joining their email list. We saved about $300 shopping specials and using codes.

[Nan]

I'm still smiling at the "monkeys in a barrel".

[Jaclyn D.]

Hi, I'm the review mommy! Love your name...the budget mommy! I really like your blog.

[Amanda]

Follow on twitter+follow blog+facebook fan=4 entries. I just found your blog yesterday and it's amazing..so full of great info and such a time saver to be able to find so many deals here in one place.

[Amanda]

Oh, and I'm pregnant with my first and planning on using cloth diapers. I have only bought one Bum Genius so far so we've got a ways to go to get stocked up!

[Andrea]

Now that I'm a couple of weeks into my cloth diaper trial with Jillians Drawers, I wanted to report in. The Fuzzibunz and BumGenius are great for nighttime - no more leaks! I'm not a fan of refolds with covers, simply because they're so bulky under his pants. (Although, it's probably not a big deal if you have a little girl wearing dresses.) Bottom line, I'm now a cloth diaper convert! Thanks for all of your info and encouragement. Your blog is where I first realized CD doesn't have to be messy or complicated...in fact, it can be fun!

[The Budget Mommy:]

Thank you so much for reporting back! I know exactly what you mean about the bulk. With dresses it's not too bad, but there aren't many pants I can use. I have been trying to hunt down some pants that work well with cloth but haven't found too many. Babylegs are fabulous though!

I am SO glad you're a convert!! I am so thankful that it's helped you to save some money. I would never have believed me if I hadn't tried them myself, but now I want to tell the world! And then it becomes slightly addicting and you have to stop yourself from developing a cloth diaper habit. It would defeat the money saving purpose, after all... =)