Cloth Diaper Cost question

[mb2770]

Hello all!

I am brand new to this site! My husband and I are expecting our first child on September 2nd. I am very interested in using cloth diapers, but I am not certain what I should be paying for a diaper service. Here is an example of what a local company is charging:

Welcome Baby $285.00
A great gift! This is a twelve week prepaid package that has been created to build confidence in diapering amongst parents. Package Includes:
Prenatal diaper delivery and consultation
Weekly delivery Includes maintenance of 85 diapers
Deodorizer disk monthly

-OR-

In the Swing of Things $195.00
Suggested for baby age 0-6 months, or 7-15 pounds. This is an 8 week prepaid package. Package includes:
Weekly delivery includes maintenance of 85 diapers
Deodorizer disk monthly


Please let me know if this is a good deal or not.

Thanks!

-MB

[larig]

my diaper service (in seattle) (http://www.seattlediaper.com/product_index.php?name=new_customer) charges $80.44/month for 70 diapers a week (that's what they recommend for newborns), I decided to go with 80/week and the cost was $82.62 (both are including tax.) If you want to prepay half a year or a year you can save 5% and 10% respectively ($496/6 months 70 diapers a week, and $941/year).

When I signed up I had to call and get a delivery set up a couple of weeks before my due date. When that was delivered I got a booklet explaining things (like folding and stuff) and the delivery guy was very helpful. Told me he could show me how to fold or do other necessary diaper stuff too (I guess it was like the consultation you'd get with yours). I also get a deodorizer disk every month. Oh, and they gave me the diaper bin and the plastic bag liners for the bin.

You will likely also need to get diaper covers unless your service is one of the rare ones that doesn't use prefolds.

I have to say, I'm super happy with our diaper service. It couldn't be easier, and my kiddo with sensitive skin does so much better with cloth, and it's really worked out well for us.

[american_mama]

I don't know much about diaper service prices, but it seems ok to me. I would get the 12 week package since I was barely learning to survive as a parent by only 8 weeks post-partum. I think that's relatively normal. If you have the service for 12 weeks, when it ends, you'll feel much more confidence and secure and be more likely to continue using cloth on your own (if that is your plan).

I'd also ask if covers are included, diaper pail, pail liner/bag, snappi fasteners, and any extra like diaper rash cream or disposable liners (like thick toilet paper, catches the poop and then gets flushed). Not sure if a diaper service would offer liners, since they kind of take away the main advantage of a service, which is not needing to handle poop at all.

For pricing comparison, I live in a crunchy college town on the East Coast with a pretty successful cloth diaper service. Based on their website, their startup package is $150 to cover your first 4 weeks of service, your starter package, and your
set-up fee. The start package includes a diaper pail/hamper, bag, snappi, bottom salve for rash, 80 diapers and 7 rental wraps and a $25 initiation fee. After that, they charge about $80 a month for 70 cloth diapers delivered a week. The price varies by size of prefold and number of diapers, and I am pretty sure the price includes the diaper bin and bag liner. Proraps covers are 50 cents a week for rental or $9 each for purchase.