Convince me that I can CD...

[sethsmom]

Why I want to:
1. I’ve heard that potty training may be easier/sooner with a toddler because he’ll be able to feel it, where he can’t with a diaper.
2. I am considering EC with our 3-month-old, but I’m not having any luck yet as I cannot tell when he’s going in a ‘sposie.
3. I’ve just quit my job to stay home with the boys, so money is tight, and I’ve heard that CDs are cheaper in the long run.

Why I’m hesitant:
1. I’ve got no support system. All my family and friends already think I’m nuts for BF, not giving rice cereal at one month, avoiding peanuts, not turning DS #1’s carseat to FF yet, etc. I know they will not be supportive.
2. DH (and I, at times) thinks it will be too much work. If I can find a system that is easy or similar to ‘sposies, I may be able to convince him.
3. The up-front costs are high. Is it still cost-effective enough when only doing one child? Are there diapers that I can use with BOTH children and save $ but aren’t like a puzzle to put on (that ease-of-use thing again,) or are their some sort of diapers I can get for DS #1 that will convert to PT trainers so that I don’t have to buy those after investing in CD for him?
4. Washing. I am simplistic. I do one load a day and throw all caution to the wind by washing and drying everything together. The idea of taking the diapers apart, washing some items on hot, extra rinsing, pouring in vinegar/baking soda, putting other items in for another wash, line-drying some things, drying others for 30 minutes on hot, and others for another 60 minutes… That’s exhausting just to think about! Also, I have a front-loading washer that does not have a soak. Does that mess-up the wash?

[MarisaSF]

You can do it! I think the hardest part for you might be adjusting your wash routine. I might recommend the BumGenius one-size adjustable diapers. I used them until DD was out of diapers and now I am using the same ones with my newborn. Great value! I machine dry the insert and line-dry the outers, but I believe you can machine dry the outers just fine. If you're washing daily. you won't need to soak.

Check them out here: http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=98&products_id=954

Another method might be to use good ole prefolds with wool covers. PFs are cheap and can be thrown in the washer and dryer. Wool should be handwashed, but you shouldn't need to handwash more than once/week.

ETA: COngrats on the birth of your baby! Mine was born 5/23/07!

[kitmama]

On why you want to:
1) Know that this may or may not end up true for you. Some parents find it is the case, others find their kids take at least as long. I suspect the CDs do help- my Littleman did train faster than his sposie'd peers here.
2) Absolutely, I think CDs should help with this. Especially if you use PFs or fitteds without a cover when you are at home.
3) CDs are indeed cheaper in the long run- if you buy less expensive CDs. (Or if you continue using them for more than one child, or if they are in good enough shape to resell them when you are done. . .)

On why you are hesitant:
1) No support can be tough, but it doesn't have to stop you. To tell the truth, I think any lack of support that I encountered only made me more determind to make CDing work! LOL, I guess it's just the pig-headedness in me. ;) It's not really any of their business, is it? And you can always find support online, at least!
2) Certainly, you can find a system that is about as easy as sposies. You will just have to see if such a system can be within your budget, and if it will accomplish your goals regarding ECing and possibly potty training. Many moms find that a combination is best for them- cheaper PFs or fitteds with covers for most of the time, and pockets or AIOs for outings, for Dad and for other doubtful caregivers.
3) Yup, the up-front cost can seem prohibitive- but really, the CDs usually turn out much cheaper than going all sposies. There are different ways to get around the cost hurdle- stick with cheapie PFs and covers at first, or get just a few of the "simpler" diapers (like pockets and AIOs) and gradually work your way up to a full stash. Also, yes there are one-size and two-size diaper systems that can work very well- you just have to give some a try. Or, look for some fitted diapers that can easily be pulled up and down- there aren't many that I know of, but they do exist. Those could be used as you begin potty training.
4) Washing diapers doesn't have to be a big deal. I don't have a "soak" setting on my washer either. You can start with a super-simple wash routine and if it works for you, there's no reason to change it! For ease-of-use, I'd recommend looking at the pinstripes and polkadots detergent chart to find a good cloth diaper detergent that is inexpensive and readily available for you. Then, for a basic routine you might try doing an initial cold rinse with a teensy bit of detergent, then a long hot wash with 1/2 the amount of detergent that's recommended on the bottle (this might be different for you with a frontloader? Mine's top loading. . .), and a final rinse. If your water's a bit soft, you might need another short wash/rinse with no detergent. You can most likely get away with tumble-drying all your diapers together. (I line-dry PUL, but many mamas don't bother). That sounds complicated, but it's not too bad. :)

I think this can work for you! Perhaps start by trying just a few "easy" one-size diapers, to see if they will work for you. If they do, then buy more. If not, sell them and try something else. I've not tried the Bumgenius one size, but I've heard good things about them- that might be a logical place to start.
Good luck, and have fun! :)

[allenhaus]

Definitely you can! We're using prefolds on the recommendation of a friend (and because they are simple and cost-effective), and they've worked out really well. Laundering them really isn't complicated. (I would highly recommend doing them as a separate load, though.) We simply do a prewash in cold with a bit of Bi-o-kleen thrown in for good measure and then a regular hot wash with natural detergent and an extra cold rinse. They come out beautifully without much fuss. Every once in a while I line dry them, and the sun bleaches out any stains naturally.

Covers are a bit more complicated, but there are lots of good ones out there. You could try one of each until you find what works best for you. (We use a combination of wool and leakproof PUL.)

We shudder when we think of what we'd have spent on disposables at this point, and it's nice not to have to run to the store for more.

Following the crowd isn't always the best, and it sounds like you are putting a lot of thought into everything you're doing. That's terrific! Your little ones are sure to benefit. You are definitely not alone in your choices. And who knows? Maybe you'll create a new, healthy, cost-effective norm amongst those you know and love! :)

Blessings,

Marguerite

[saschalicks]

I could've written your post a year ago. I'm not kidding. As a matter of fact when I was pregnant w/DS2 I told DH and my mom I wanted to CD and they told me I was nuts and it was too much work. I kick myself all of the time for listening to them. I started CDing about 2 months ago when DS2 was 18 mo and DS1 had just started PTing. I've bought mostly one sized dipes and will keep those for the possiblility of #3. You could definitely buy one size dipes and use them for both of your kids.

I went w/pockets b/c they made the most sense for us since we also had daycare to deal with. I stuff them all and DH doesn't deal w/any of the washing. Washing them is so much easier then I anticipated. I do dipes every day and I really don't mind. I'm actually trying to build a stash so I only have to do it every other day, but as you said it's a lot of money up front. I am trying to buy most of my dipes used. You'd be surprised how many you can buy in EUC w/no sign of wear and for less then in a store.

Lastly, I'm really happy that I'm no longer throwing 'sposies away. It actually makes me feel better. I'm trying to be more green in my living and although DH thinks that I'm nuts he does see some benefit to this all. He even recently offered to do a load of dipes. I was so scared that he'd do it wrong that I wouldn't let him. Can we say control freak? :D

Anyway, I think you can definitely do it. I never tried prefolds or fitteds, and I know those are cheaper then the way I went, but I couldn't do that b/c I wanted to be able to make it easy for DCP and my DH.

HTH!

[american_mama]

I wrote a long post to you yesterday, long enough for my session to time out, and I realized as soon as I hit "Post message" that it was going to disappear into the ether, which it did. So, here is a very abbreviated version.

The only way you'll know if it work for you is to try it. Pick an amount, like $75, that you're willing to spend on cloth diapers and vow to use them for as many weeks as it would have taken you to spend that amount in disposables. Then you'll at least know you saved over disposables, even if you don't chose to continue beyond that.

You can buy nice sampler packages at diaperjunction.com for about $73 or at www.naturalbabies.com for about $60. Or you can buy used on diaperswappers.com or diaperswap2 and get more diapers for the money. I notice that www.lilbunz.com has a lot of used diapers right now, although she mainly sells new.

Also, your older child may have developed a preference for disposables and may resist cloth. I would only buy one-size diapers for him because if he rejects them, you can still use them right away on your younger child and not feel like you wasted your money.

I am going to start a thread for reviews of one-size diapers right now, partly for you and partly for me.

Start with a very simple wash routine and don't vary it unless you encounter problems. For me, I almost always follow this very simple routine: short rinse on cold, long hot wash using 1/4 the amount of my regular Tide, second rinse. Throw everything into the dryer for about 50-60 minutes. That's it.