Cloth diapers are an economical way to get your little one through to potty training. Disposable diapers are easy, but they get very expensive over the 2, 3, 4 or maybe even 5 years your child will be in need of diapers. Cloth diapers are just as easy.
HOW MANY The first thing to figure out is "how many diapers will I need?". This will depend on how often you child need to be changed and how often you will want to launder your diapers. You will need to multiply how often you want to launder your diapers by the times in a day you generally need to change your child. Of course you will want 5-10 diapers as a reserve. Most new babies need 10-12 changes a day. Older babies only need 6-10 diapers a day, even older toddlers and children will only need 5 or 6 changes each day.
THE EXTRAS Now that you have your supply of diapers you will need some extra supplies. Pins and covers will be needed. They can both be found where diapers are sold. You can use the ’plastic pants’ as covers or buy specialty covers sold in stores and online. You will also need a place to store the soiled diapers. Most parents use a diaper pail, but some fill the washer and place all the diapers in the washer and just run the load at the end of each day. There are also inserts called diaper doublers and liners. These are used for children who wet heavily, for overnight use or even to help with the removal of BMs.
DIAPER PAIL There are two types of diaper pails you can use; a wet pail and a dry pail.
A dry pail is just that, a diaper pail that is empty. You can just drop your soiled diapers into the pail. Most parents will dunk diapers with BM in the toilet or the sink before placing in the pail. You can use baking soda to help with odor. The wet method includes a water and vinegar mixture to neutralize the ammonia. You will want to find the mix that is right for you. If you choose to use a wet pail, please keep in mind the drowning hazard. Children can drown in just enough water to cover their nose. Children are also top heavy and can fall into the pail head first very easily.
WASHING You can wash diapers in the same detergent you use for your child’s laundry. Use something gentle on your child’s skin. Wash in hot and rinse in cold. Do not use liquid fabric softener. It will interfere with the diapers ability to absorb. Do not use bleach.
If you have stains that you want to try and get out, hang your diapers in the sunlight. You can dry cloth diapers in the dryer. Do not use a fabric softener dryer sheet. As with liquid fabric softener, it will lessen the absorbency of the cloth. You will also want to avoid Deft and Ivory Snow for washing the cloth diapers. While these are great for your baby’s clothing, they contain fabric softeners.
Good luck with your new adventure. Thanks for keeping the environment safe and clean.
Michael Russell
Your Independent Baby and Toddler guide.
