It is easier to do cloth as the baby gets older because you have much less poopie diapers to deal with but it really is not that bad. If people tried it, they would see how truly easy it can be!

If you haven’t heard of it, it may sound bizarre… but have you heard of Elimination Communication? (Also known as Infant Potty Training). I honestly don’t know much about it, but I’m intrigued by it, and would probably look into it more if we were going to have another baby. I know it’s common in Attachment Parenting (which I’m just now learning more about). It’s basically what it sounds like – coming up with a communication system with your infant so you know when they have to pee or poop, and then you take them to the toilet! From what I’ve read, people who do this use cloth diapers as back-up, but rarely have to wash them because the baby doesn’t soil them. I thought it was ridiculous when I first heard about it, but now I think it’s neat. Apparently in many other cultures it’s widely practiced. Anyway, I really know nothing about it, but might be worth looking into.

:)

Alissa’s last blog post..Attachment Parenting

Well I think you know how I feel about cloth diapering, because you already read my post. :) I LOVE cloth diapering, and I would never, ever go back. In fact, yesterday, for the first time in over a year, I ran out of cloth diapers (didn’t get them in the wash soon enough). So I still had a couple of old disposables around so I put one on him. Well, I HATED it. I hated putting that paper and plastic on my baby. And when he peed, the diaper sagged almost to his knees, and was squishy and gross. It was a lovely reminder of how great cloth is. :) I know I sure wouldn’t want to wear paper underwear!

Anyway, I know you’re facing a bit of a challenge with the whole washer/dryer dilemma. I think that if your instincts are telling you to do cloth, then you’ll find a way to do it. You can put the baby in a sling, or wash diapers when your hubby is home to stay with the baby (you might enjoy the escape! lol). I let people talk me out of cloth when I had my first baby, and I so regret it now. I knew it was the right thing to do, but everyone thought I was nuts, so I gave up. When I did make the change, with my 2nd baby, I realized it was exactly what I had wanted to do all along.

You can definitely buy cloth second-hand. Technically, eBay forbids the sale of used cloth diapers, so you may not be able to find them there, but there are plenty of sites where you can get them. There are also lots of WAHMs out there who make cloth diapers, and you could buy them cheaper, while supporting a WAHM. You might even consider buying 1 or 2 diapers a month now, before the baby comes, so that by the time the baby arrives you’ll have what you need. I haven’t used prefolds myself, but I know that lots of people use them with success, and they’re relatively inexpensive. And if you’re worried about the first couple of weeks, you could always get some disposable Seventh Generation diapers while you’re recovering from childbirth. They still end up in a landfill, but they are chemical-free, so at least they won’t cause any harm to your baby.

Anyway, you seem very intelligent, and I’m sure you will make the decision that’s right for you and your family. :)

I look forward to coming back to visit.

Alissa

Alissa’s last blog post..Attachment Parenting

I keep a open weave plastic rectangular laundry basket in the garage where I toss the dirties. I don’t pre-rinse, just roll the solids into the toilet. We don’t use a extra rinse cycle. If you use half the detergent, you should not have to rinse twice. Also, use vinegar during the rinse cycle every once in a while to get out soap residue.

To save on electricity, dry them on a rack or on a line outside. If you can get them in the sun, it’s a free stain fighter; the sun bleaches all the stains away. I can get one load of diapers on one rack.

You can get two children through diapers with one group of diapers. A one time purchase of the Chinese pre-folds and adjustable covers, will take you through five years of diaper usage. It’s cost effective if you keep it simple, and buy the least expensive options. We also use cloth wipes – bought a group of handmade ones on ebay. We just wet them with water.

You can check my blog category under cloth diapers if you’d like to take a peak at our cloth diaper regime. It’s really not a big deal at all, and I never have to buy diapers or wipes which is great. It’s an extra load of laundry every week, but I think it’s worth it.

Alexandra’s last blog post..Proverbs 31:17 ~ when I am weak, then He is strong!