I’m considering using cloth diapers for our baby. I’m concerned about the expense of disposable diapers, chemicals in disposable diapers and wipes, the possibility of more diaper rash/infections with disposable, and of course, adding tons of waste to landfills.
But.
I’m well aware the cloth diapers simply don’t work for everyone. Some babies have crazy blowouts that simply can’t be contained by cloth, no matter whatcha do. I’d hate to invest all that money in cloth diapers, to only have them not work for us.
The other thing that makes me hesitate? We don’t have a washing machine or dryer in our apartment.
Is cloth diapering too insane for me to even think about? I might be getting in a bit over my head, so I need you moms out there to tell me if I’m nuts.
Most cloth diapering sites have suggested running diapers through at least two washes. I don’t have the option of doing an extra rinse, so it’s an additional load or nothing.
I don’t have access to an outdoor clothes line, and most sites that I’ve read encourage line drying in the sun or drying the diapers in the hot dryer to further kill bacteria.
Cost break-down of exclusive cloth diaper use in the first two years
There is a W/D unit in our building’s basement. It costs $1.25 per wash and $1.25 per dry.
So assuming the prices don’t go up, it will cost $3.75 per load (two washes and a dry).
Is it a fair assessment to say one load can fit about two dozen diapers? Would that include cloth wipes tossed in as well? If that’s the case, then in the early stages, I could be washing diapers every two days or so, depending on how many I have.
That’s about 3.5 loads of diapers per week. $3.75/load X 3.5 loads = $13.13 ish per week to use the machines.
Say I keep up with that wash pace for six months or 26 weeks. That’s $341, or about $56 per month in washing, and that’s not including detergent costs.
The next six to 12 months of Baby’s life, let’s say I can get away with washing twice per week. That’s $7.50 per week, and for 26 weeks that’s $195.
Tallying up the first year’s totals of estimated washing costs, and that’s $536 in washer and dryer use. Only uh, 2,144 quarters for the machines! Heh.
For Baby’s second year, I’d expect we’d have fewer diaper changes, so that would give me even more time between washings. But, let’s say I wash a load of diapers twice per week anyway. For 52 weeks, that’s $390. Not bad.
If we tried cloth and decided it works well for us, I’d probably want three dozen diapers on hand at least. A quick look at Diapers.com shows that Fuzzi Bunz cost $20 each, and bumGenius cost $18 each. These are the all-in-one style diapers, so no rubber pants covers are needed. Ok. An average of that cost would be $19 each X 36 diapers, so $684 in diaper costs.
Grand total for two years of cloth diapering one baby? $1,610. If you look at it per year, it averages out to $805 annually.
We hopefully will have more than one child, and if we make the initial investment on those cloth diapers, they should last for several more children. So after that first baby, we’ll just have washing costs to consider. Assuming we’re still paying per wash (I hope not!), two years of washes and drys would cost $926, or an average of $463 per year. Definitely cheaper than disposables.
If we do decide to go the cloth diaper route, we probably won’t use cloth exclusively. We’d use disposables in the first few weeks of Baby’s life, when we’re traveling or out all day, and possibly at night. So, we would need a few packs here and there of disposables. I’m just guessing a number, but I’d doubt it would be more than $100 per year.
If we exclusively used disposable diapers, my best guess (from sites I’ve been able to find) is we would be spending at least $1,500 per year, if not more.
The bottom line (lol):
If y’all don’t convince me that I’m nuts for considering trying cloth without my own washer/dryer, than I think I’ll pick up a few (say, six?) different types of cloth diapers to give it a trial run. If it goes well, then I’ll buy more of the kinds we like. If it doesn’t, well whatever. We wouldn’t be out a ton of money, and could hang on to those diapers and try them on baby #2.
After looking at my cost estimates (I realize these numbers could be way off. Feel free to help me out), it looks like cloth will still be a lot cheaper for us.
But, I know that I’m going to be exhausted. I can only imagine the kind of attention and energy I’ll need to expend trying to figure out how to raise a baby. Instead of trudging up and down two flights of stairs with diapers every few days, maybe my time would be better spent doing other things. I’m not completely sure.
So, let’s hear it! What have been your experiences with cloth diapers? What advice do you have for me?
I never used cloth but if you really want some great advice check out Keeping the Home at
http://myblessedhome.blogspot.com/
She has some super info and she explains how she stores and cleans her diaper as well!
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I have not done much research on cloth diapers…so the whole chemical issue I have no opinion of.
money wise….before I understood coupons and cvs, I would say worth a try, but i have a washer an dryer. With out one I would never consider it, as a new mom, I can hardly remember having time to do laundry I can’t imagion having to go down stairs with a new baby and pay to wash and dry diapers.
With Cvs and your wise shopping you should be able to spend almost nothing on diapers. Unless, I found major evidence regarding the chemical thing, I would use disposable.
I would go for it.
I think its smart to try it on a small scale by buying a few of each types and seeing if they work.
If it doesn’t work, you’re not out much and you won’t have to worry about running out in a snow storm for disposables cause you have that half a dozen to rely on.
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While I admire your thriftiness and desire to help the environment, YES I do think you are nuts. I mean this with all due respect.
Once you have a baby, you will have more laundry to do than you ever thought possible.
I have changed a LOT of diapers, and never had a problem with rashes or irritation from disposables. Of course, every child is different. Cloth diapers do not pull moisture away from the skin the way disposables do, so you can actually end up with more rashes.
I would say go for it if you had easy access to a washer and dryer. But once you become a mom, simplicity and time savers become your new best friend!
Good luck with the decision!
Alyssa @ Keeping the Kingdom First’s last blog post..My Week of CVSing: June 8-14th
I would NEVER attempt cloth diapers without a washing machine and dryer within reach.
I used cloth diapers, not exclusively, very few people use them exclusively. But it definitely makes a huge difference financially.
I used some of the regular old fold and pin cloth to begin with, then I bought some Kooshies velcro diapers and covers(these days they have them all in one) from Sears as well as both fabric and flushable liners and ended up using them for both kids. I know there are many many options out there these days, but honestly to do it over again I would probably go with the Kooshies again, they were inexpensive and I was more then happy with them.
I used cloth at home and if we were just going out for a short time, but if we were heading out for a longer period of time I used disposables.
All I did was take them off baby, rinse them in the toilet, store them in a diaper pail, then washed them in a normal wash load with hot water, and dry them. Don’t use fabric softener though, it takes away the absorbancy in them. Basically using cloth was an extra load of laundry every 2 days.
And another huge benefit to using cloth is potty training! Everyone told me boys don’t potty train until at least 3, well mine were both potty trained by the time they were 2 and I’m sure a big help was the fact that I used cloth diapers, others I’ve talked to who used cloth said they had a much easier time with the potty training then their friends who didn’t use cloth as well. So if using cloth helps you get them out of diapers sooner, that’s even more money saved!
Tough decision. We cloth diapered our second, and he got more rashes with cloth than disposables. But I’ve had friends who have had the opposite experience.
I think you should buy a few cloth diapers and give it a try. Don’t go crazy at first. Just use the few you have to gauge whether or not your baby will get rashes with CDs. Find out what doing your regular laundry with baby is like before committing to the extra loads of diaper laundry. Then decide.
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Check out the great money-saving idea here: http://heather.covblogs.com/archives/025242.html
Kacie: This is a tough question, as you’ve probably noticed from your mixed responses. We have a 2 1/2 year old daughter, and have used cloth her whole life.
I love cloth. Absolutely love it. The only time my daughter has had a rash is when we’ve been traveling with her in paper diapers. And blowouts? The only time (seriously) she ever had a blow out escape the diaper was when she was in paper. The cloth diapers held everything in where it belonged every time.
I do agree that once you’re a mom, you are gonna be so tired, and the easier the better…but there is a simplicity in having cloth diapers, too: you never have to run to the store late at night, never have any “what the heck is in this thing, anyway?” moments of what you’re wrapping around your baby’s body, and it is less expensive overall (even if you manage a lot of good CVS deals).
Our families were not at all supportive of our choice. They all thought we were crazy as loons to even consider it, and my mom and his mom had a bet as to how long we would last using cloth: his mom said a month; mine said 2 weeks. For me, this was the hardest part, but we did it and I’m very proud.
I’d gladly discuss this more with you via e-mail, if you like. I don’t mean to fill up your comment column with my ranting…
Best of luck!
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I agree. I never have a big problem with leaking with cloth. And it is so great to not have to run to the store when you are out. You just have to wash them!
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I am a grandma, and have done both. At one time there was such a thing as a “diaper service”–believe it or not. You stored your dirty diapers in a pail, which they furnished, and 2 or 3 times a week, the “diaper man” picked up the pail and left you a stack of nice. fresh diapers. Times really have changed. This was pretty much before the days of disposibles–but even some new moms with washers used the service for a while. No, I would not try it without a washer, and at least a clothsline. You might look into an apartment sized washer and dryer–even if you still use disposibles. There is just nothing like the conveinence of your own washer. A couple dozen cloth diapers are nice to have on hand for an emergency and make great wipe and burp cloths. Old worn ones are wonderful dust cloths. Some things are just necessary–besides, you don’t want to be so stressed over diapers that you can’t enjoy your baby.
I have to admit I didn’t read everyone’s comments, so if I repeat them, sorry.
I wouldn’t consider using cloth without a washing machine, Unless I was going to use prefolds and use a diaper service, I’m sure in Pitts they have them. The other thing is you have to wash the diapers every other day, or it will mess them up- according to the people who sell them. So you couldn’t get away with only doing 2 loads a week.
We use cloth, we started with prefolds and covers, then discovered pocket diapers. The only issue we are having is the smell of them. I can’t get them clean no matter what. I’m having to do a cold wash, hot wash then extra rinse, THEN i take the inserts for the diapers out and do two more rinses. I am starting to think about going back to prefolds. Only because after I switched to cloth I research what was in disposables and I can’t bear the thought of putting my baby in them. Not all the time, if we go on vacation we use disposables.
So, although I think using cloth diapers is a great idea, i don’t know if it would be worth it having no washer or dryer.
Actually, if you use prefolds, you should check into the cost of a diapering service. It might be more worth.
Hi,
I’ve never posted a response before so here goes….I have a 2 1/2 year old son. Yes, the expense for disposable can become a bit of a burden. I would discourage cloth - like the others have said, getting your own clothes washed will be chore enough. A newborn easily goes through 10 diapers a day if not more. No washer and dryer or drying line? Ugh. I do not disagree with you on the impact on the environment. Try to go green in other areas to ‘make up’ for your disposable diaper use. If you belong to a warehouse store (Sam’s Costco) you can get diapers, wipes, and formula for a great cost savings - and there are ALWAYS coupons for them. As far as diaper rash goes, my son had a bad go with a stomach bug, the nurse said to sit him in lukewarm water with nothing but baking soda in it. FORGET the Balmex. It cleared him up in two five minute sittings. I have never again used diaper rash ointment. That little tip alone saved you some money! Rest easy - you and your baby will do just fine.
We had great luck with cloth diapering, and have enjoyed it (well, as much as one can enjoy diapers, that is). But I don’t personally know that I’d do it without our own washer/dryer. But that’s just me.
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love love love my cloth-use sposies for out and about and nights-have 2 in dipes-wash every other day at least-and can’t imagine not having w/d or clothes line to do so…so really i’m no help to ya except to say i think my boys definitely prefer/feel more comfy in cloth, i love my FBs (but i have lots of kinds and use all) and yes, a load could be 24 dipes and assoc. wipes…
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I’ve used both with my kids and have weighed in previously on Trent’s blog The Simple Dollar. There are actually 2 or 3 posts there about cloth diapering and lots of advice.
I like your idea of trying a few types of cloth and seeing how it goes. You can always switch very easily to disposable, but I doubt you’d ever switch in the other direction.
One thing you should know, those explosions that very young babies often have are not well-contained by either cloth or disposables. However, they outgrow them in just a few months and have more reasonable bowel movements and generally fewer of them. (Often new babies have a movement every time they eat, while older babies tend towards once or twice per day or even less.)
One last thing to think about, if you’re trying to save money washing and drying, do you have a patio or balcony where you could put a retractable clothesline? You could even put a retractable line in the bathroom if you’re prohibited from hanging outside.
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You are going to be dealing with a lot more laundry once the baby arrives–spit up covered clothes and burp cloths and exploded diaper clothes!!! I can’t imagine having to also deal with washing cloth diapers–and without having you own washer and dryer!?!? I am a mom of three, and I wouldn’t do it. My youngest is 10 months–the only one in diapers. I don’t really do the CVS thing so we spend $40 a month on diapers (and that’s slowly decreasing) and we use a box of wipes ($8) every month and a half or so. I also start potty training around the first birthday.
If you are doing it for the environment, you should know that the British government did a study that found that cloth diapers are no better for the environment than modern disposables due to the hot water and chemicals necessary.
Do you pay for hot water? Cloth diapers may increase this bill as you will need a lot of hot water to rinse them out.
Also, you should know that cloth is more likely to leak so you may stain or ruin more clothing/bedding; so that should be factored in as well.
I think your numbers may be a bit high. I buy my diapers on Amazon. There is no tax and free shipping. I buy a box approx every 2-3 weeks for $30. Plus, we buy Luvs. They have been invaluable for us. My baby is currently 18 mos. Our diaper cost per year is ~$780.
Thanks for weighing in, everyone! Keep the comments coming.
One of you asked if I had a balcony. Nope. We do line-dry a bunch of our clothes indoors, but from what I’ve read, diapers need to be dried on high heat or in the sunshine.
Sounds like most of you are saying “DON’T DO IT! YOU NEED YOUR OWN WASHING MACHINE!”
Makes enough sense to me. I figured I’d at least put this idea out there.
Since there seems to be just one commenter who has attempted cloth diapering without a W/D in their home, it really does seem like it might be more hassle than it’s worth.
I might try to do cloth anyway, once the baby is a few months old. Maybe it will be a bit easier once we get a routine down, and I can re-evaluate things.
And, if we move to a place with a W/D, I’m definitely going to give it a shot.
Also, you can buy organic/natural cotton disposable diapers. Seventh Generation makes them but so do others. They are EXPENSIVE but if the chemical content worries you (as it does me) then this is an option to supplement CDs and give you convenience.
By the way…am I going blind? Where is your EC widget?
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We haven’t had much time lately to drop EntreCards, so we took the widget down. Didn’t think it would be fair for people to drop cards here, but us not reciprocate!
Well that’s just silly. :) People still get credits for dropping their cards and I LOVE to drop cards and let people know that I’ve visited even if I don’t comment. Put it back!!! *grin*
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We did it. We cloth diapered my now nearly 6 year old while living in a one bedroom apartment with no washer and dryer.
I can’t say I would recomend Full Time Cloth diapering to anyone without awasher and dryer. But it was well worth it to have them on hand when we needed them. We had a few times where getting to the store to get diapers just wasn’t an option, as well as when we had some irritation issues.
Having a baby increases the laundry load a lot, and cloth diapers don’t make a huge dent in the laundry when you have your own machines, but making those trips to the basement to take care of it was tiring, we ended up only using them during the day during the summer (when she wasn’t wearing much other than a diaper anyhow) and using the disposables the rest of the time til we moved and got our own machines.
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