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View Full Version : Cost effective to switch now?



raynjen
04-29-2003, 07:37 AM
My daughter justed turned 18 months and I know we won't be having any more children - would it still be cost effective for me to switch to cloth diapers? I have to change her every 2 hours in disposables (Pampers Premium) or she will leak through - will a cloth diaper keep up with that volume? I need some simple clear advice and I am not familiar with any of the abbreviations I see scattered throughout this section (though I did figure out that CD meant cloth diaper).

I have two reasons for wanting to switch to cloth diapers at this point 1) she is going through 6-8 diapers a day and it is breaking the bank, and 2) I hear it is easier to potty-train kids who wear cloth diapers.

We live in Okinawa, Japan, so a diaper service is not an option, how easy is it to care for cloth diapers? Can I dry them outdoors (electricity is very expensive and I'd rather run the A/C than the dryer.

Thanks for all your expertise!

Jen in Okinawa
Mom to Noelle (10/25/01)

egoldber
04-29-2003, 08:19 AM
It depends on how you diaper.

The aboslute most cost effective way to cloth diaper is with chinese prefolds (CPFs in the abbreviations). You can get 2 dozen diapers and 4 covers for $70-$80. That is a minimal, but probably sufficient amount of diapers. If you buy premium size, then that may be all you would need. But there is the possibility you might need to move to toddler size prefolds later. A set of those would be in the same $ neighborhood. Also plan to spend a few extra dollers for liners, a pail and some doublers. So $100 would certainly get you going and would be all you need to spend if you're disciplined. :)

CPFs are also really great if you want to line dry. Since they "unfold" as opposed to fitteds (where the highly soaker is integrated into the diaper), they dry much more quickly.

Given you are in Japan, I'm not sure about good sources for you. Many of the places that we order from in the US do not do international shipping, sometimes not even to APO addresses.

I would write a few of the well known diapering ordering places and see if they will accommodate you.

Check out:
naturalbabies.com
naturalebaby.com
punkinbutt.com

EDITED to add: Just found a discussion on the Mothering diapering board about cloth diapers in japan. Apparently you can get them pretty inexpensively there: http://mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36756&highlight=international+and+shipping


HTH,

gravymommy3
04-29-2003, 12:29 PM
Jan,

While I am certainly not in your boat on the overseas thing, I am hearing what you are saying about cost-effectiveness. I am in my second week of CDing my soon-to-be 18 month old (last child unless DH's swimmers are also hurdlers, if you know what I mean!!!) If I had stuck to Beth's advice, I might have come out ok on the cost-effectiveness thingy. However, I have discovered the joy of hemp and have spent a little on that and some fitted hemp diapers, etc. That being said, I am very happy I have switched. We don't have leaks at night anymore (had them with the Pam. Premiums and at first with a pocket AIO). But now we are good. I even went to visit DH (he is away from home taking a class) and had no problems with the CDs. I never even occurred to me to use a diaper service. The extra laundry hardly seems like laundry. You don't have to sort it or fold it and I usually run small loads. No biggies and I really HATE laundry :)

I say "go for it." You may really like it. I just hope DD does not potty train too soon. I want to get my money's worth and I am having fun with it. Good luck!!