Cloth Diapering

A little over a year ago, while pregnant with my fourth baby, I began to seriously think about cloth diapering as a way to save a little money.  Now, a year later, I have no idea why I didn't cloth diaper all four babies.  It is easy, we never have leaks, it is better for the baby's skin, AND they are pretty stinkin' cute.  All of that, and we are also saving money!  While the start up costs can be daunting ($15-$30 per diaper) the money that you save in the end is HUGE, even if you build your diaper stash out of pricey designer diapers.  :)

If the start up costs are too much for your family, considering contacting The Cloth Diaper Foundation at http://www.clothdiaperfoundation.org/ to see if you qualify for a diaper loan.  The recipient pays for shipping, and then CDF will mail you a set of diapers to help you get started on cloth diapering.  When your baby has outgrown them, or you no longer need them, you simply return them to CDF for another family to use.  Simple as that! 

My favorite diapers are the BumGenius 3.0 one-size diapers.  The snap down to size and hook with hook and loop (velcro) to create a great fit.  BumGenius is manufactured by Cotton Babies (http://www.cottonbabies.com/) and they now offer BumGenius 4.0 diapers which are available in snap enclosures and fun prints as well!  We haven't added any 4.0's to our rotation yet, but maybe soon! 

If you're wondering about how to clean the ick off of those cute little diapers then be sure to visit Rockin' Green at http://www.rockingreensoap.com/ to learn all about how to clean cloth diapers.  Rockin' Green soap is the only kind I've ever used on my diapers, and we love it!  AND it comes in yummy scents that make the laundry room smell great! 

There are also a number of WAHMs (work at home moms) who make some wonderful diapers.  The good ones are often a bit pricey, but are worth it!  The best part about buying WHAM diapers is that they can usually be completely customized with your choice of fabrics, inner materials, etc.  My personal favorite is Doodle Dypes (www.hyenacart.com/doodledypes).  Sandy is the owner of Doodle Dypes and has GREAT customer service, and her diapers are pretty stinking cute! 

Also, a great place to find information about cloth diapering is Baby Center's cloth diapering group.  There are hundreds of cloth diapering moms there who love nothing more than talking about cloth diapers.  They are all super helpful!

I'll be adding more natural and frugal parenting resources to this blog soon, so keep checking back for more info, or feel free to email or leave a comment and I'd be happy to answer your questions!