Jan 2

Jan 2 To cloth or not to cloth: I researched and tested cloth diapering for you!

The world of cloth diapering can definitely overwhelm any mom. All those different types of diapers and a whole new terminology to decode. However, it’s actually quite simple and there are many pro’s. How do you wash cloth diapers? Are they really cheaper? And what’s up with poop? … All of these questions and more will be answered in this blogpost.

Thank you to Nappys.nl for helping me to find my way in the wondrous world of cloth diapering!

Washing and drying instructions

I’ll start with the topic of washing because this is what I think keeps most mommies from trying cloth diapers. Washing cloth diapers is easy though! Pop them in the washing machine within three days and use your normal washing detergent. (as long as it dontains less than 5% soap and no enzymes - check the label, I like to use this one).

There won’t be any poopy business in your machine because you fill the diaper with a biodegradable liner that can be emptied in the toilet and tossed in the bin. (We use these liners). Unless you’ve encountered some sort of poopsplosion, the diapers don’t have to be soaked in advance. A diaper bucket with a laundry bag hanging from the corners holds the diapers till you’re ready to do laundry. No touching the diapers is required, you just take the laundry bag by the corners and toss the whole bag in the machine. We use this bin and these laundry bags.

Most diapers can be machine washed at 60 degrees, although it does depend on the brand. Many brands have their own detergent that kills bacteria at lower temperatures. I really like the BambinoMio one, add a scoop to your regular detergent and it will kill all bacteria at just 30 degrees. (I like to add it to other exceptionally dirty laundry too). You can get it here. Most cloth diapers can be tumble dried, better to steer away from fabric softener though as it reduces their absorbency. Sunshine and drying outdoors on the line works wonder for stains.

Check my IG-TV and Story highlights on Instagram to see how I do laundry.

How many do you need?

First of all, did you know that most online shops have trial and rental cloth diapers? Check it out here. So before definitively investing you can try a selection of systems and brands to see if you like it.

We actually started to use cloth diapers thanks to our health insurance. In Belgium, where I’m from, you are given a sum to spend on baby products when you have a baby and we chose to use part of that sum to purchase cloth diapers and accessories with the voucher we were given when Elliot was born. For part-time use we had 12 diapers. We also bought a bin and biodegradable liners. We ended up being able to buy disposable diapers
that first year from the rest of the sum. So it was an amazing deal!

We really liked the Bambino Mio all-in-one diaper, which was the only brand our insurance provided – I wrote more about this brand and our experiences here. However, for a newborn they’re not the perfect fit and sometimes we’d have a leak on our hands. (literally 😊) So I decided to try out some other systems and brands and ended up becoming a real pro thanks to Nappys.nl!

Nice to know is that – just like about anything in parenting, cloth diapering isn’t an all or nothing thing. With Elliot and Amelia we used them 50% of the time, now with Phoebe about 80%. Whatever feels good and works. You change a cloth diaper as often as you would a disposable. Newborn babies tend to poop pretty frequently especially if they are breastfed and they can need their diaper changed around 8-10 times per
day. Once babies get to two months or so they usually drop to needing changed around 5 times a day. Little tip: from a certain age I know when the baby will do a number two. Like with Phoebe for example, it’s the first diaper of the day. I put on a disposable then and use cloth the rest of the day.

I use cloth diapers when I’m at home or close to home but use disposables at night and when we go out (read why later in this article). I don’t feel like washing every day so I have 20 cloth diapers. In the early months – read lotssss of diaper changes – this means I wash them every two or three days. (although we’ve gone up to a week between washes and our diapers came out fine). So two or three extra machine loads a week. I know that sounds like a lot with all the washing we do for our family of five already but keep in mind: this isn’t a “complicated” laundry load that needs a long “follow-up”. You just take them out of the dryer and put them back in the diaper station. No crazy folding or ironing or bringing to different closets all over the house. Another big pro is that we never have to run to the store for diapers.

So, I’d recommend starting with a dozen cloth diapers. Doing a load of laundry with fewer than that can be wasteful in terms of water and energy used. Having about 20 cloth diapers is ideal.

Good for your baby

Disposable diapers contain chemicals. How harmful these can be, I’ll leave up to scientific research for you to dive in, but the fact remains that cloth diapers are made from all natural materials, so no chemicals touching your little one’s skin at all. It is said that the chances of developing a diaper rash are slimmer with cloth diapers and I have to say that seems to also be the case with our babies, however I wasn’t able to support this with any scientific research.

It’s better for the climate

Diapers constitute 12% of household waste in Belgium. Diapers can’t be recycled and are simply tossed in landfill and burned. That’s 13 kg of waste per person each year! Just think of what a difference it makes to not attribute or attribute less to this ginormous heap of waste! (source).

Your child will produce roughly 6000 diapers in the first few years of its life, and every single one of them will end up in the landfill. And what about using the washing machine more? That isn’t very ecological, is it? That’s true but the production process of disposable diapers uses much, much, much more water.

Some more interesting scientific facts (click here for sources)

“No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is estimated to be about 250-500 years, long after your children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone.”

“Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.” (USA)

“Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp

“The manufacture and use of disposable diapers amounts to 2.3 times more water wasted than cloth.”

“Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.”

Want to read more unbiased facts with scientific references listed? Click here.

It’s better for your wallet

At around 20-30 euro a diaper, cloth diapering seems like quite the investment. However, at the end of the ride it will save you money. Most cloth diapers are one size. You can adjust the size with buttons and Velcro. This way a diaper can be used from birth till potty training. According to Diaperdecision.com, you are saving between 43% and 85% of the price of disposables.

Also be sure to check with your town or city department, they might have subsidies for cloth diapering and also contact your insurance. Lots of insurance companies have cloth diapers in their online store you can purchase items from after expanding your family.

In short, cloth diapers cost more up front but save you considerably in the long run.

Types

There are different systems of diapers and thanks to Nappys I’ve been able to try them all. All of the diapers discussed here are available online at Nappys.

All-in-one/pocket diaper

This is perfect if you want to try cloth diapers but want it to be nice and easy. This diaper is ready to use and can be popped into the washing machinein one piece. Pocket diapers are made up of two parts, the outer waterproof “shell” with a “pocket” on the inside, plus an absorbent insert attached to the diaper to stuff inside the pocket. These can be found in single sizes or adjustable sizes too.

Two part diaper

This diaper consists of a diaper (I tried bamboo) and a separate waterproof shell to put over it. Although it takes two steps to put on, it is still very easy and has its advantages. For example, they can be used for a longer time. This is because you don’t have to wash the waterproof shell every time (I’m often able to use one shell for a whole day), so understandably it will last longer and when either one of the parts has lost its absorbency, you can replace that one part and keep the other. Also you can give the diapers a good hot washing if you like without having to risk harming the waterproof cover. Generally, all-in-one diapers are good for one child, whereas two-part systems can be used for siblings later too. (so you’ll be saving even more!)

Snap-in-one

Best of both worlds. This is an inbetweener: you snap the absorbent insert to the diaper. So the washing benefits described in the above also apply to this type of diaper. If you like, you can store the diaper already snapped so it saves you some time during the diaper change.

Brands

When using two-part diapers I use diapers from popolino, Tots Bots and Hu-da by Billeka. I combined these with waterproof covers from Bamboolik, Ptit Lulu, Seedling and Blümchen.

The all-in-one diapers I tried, besides the bambino mio solos we already had, are from Lighthouse and Mama Koala.

And I also tested a snap-in-one by Tickletots, bare and boho and bubblebubs.

Review

After two months of testing there are diapers that have become favorites and others I notice I don’t like to use as much.

My favorite two-part system is definitely the hu-da by Billeka diaper combined with the Bamboolik cover. They are, by a long shot, the slimmest and most flexible combination. The Hu-da is slim but nevertheless superabsorbent. I love how they fit Phoebe: nice and snug without being too tight anywhere. The bamboolik cover differs from the other waterproof shells in its softness and flexibility. The other covers are coarser, especially the one from Blümchen, whereas the Bamboolik’s fabric doesn’t even feel like it’s waterproof. So this is my all-time number one combination.

The one I don’t like to use, and barely do, is the Tots Bots diaper. This comes as a surprise as many moms recommended it to me. It definitely does the job – although I didn’t have leaks with any of the diapers I tried – but it is so bulky. I am obsessed with babies being comfortable, and being able to move freely, during tummy time for example but this diaper was so big and stiff around the Velcro waist, I felt sorry for Phoebe having to be in it. I now use it for naptime.

I liked the Poppolini diaper. It is absorbent, soft and flexible. However, its cut it a little broader than the Hu-da, which makes it a little more difficult to completely fit under any waterproof shell.

Of all the waterproof shells, I like Bamboolik the most. Ptit Lulu comes in as a close second and although I’m in love with the Blümchen design (and its price for that matter) I found it a little stiff compared to the others. The Bamboolik fabric is so soft and flexible you wouldn’t think it’s waterproof. I also really like the shell by Seedling and their prints are ever so pretty!

I always look forward to using the Mama Koala diaper, they’re so incredibly soft and flexible. So is the diaper from Elskbar. I love it’s fit!

The snap-in-one by Tickletots and the all-in-one by Lighthouse are also amazing. Their snug fit and flexibility almost resemble the fit of a disposable diaper. Although, I have to be honest, no cloth diaper is as slim as a disposable is.

In conclusion, I have to say that I still like the Bambino Miosolo’s as well. They are extremely soft inside and I really like the practicality of their design. Also their accessories and laundry detergent are great. But… they leak sometimes. I think the culprit is the fit around the legs. It’s not as soft and stretchy as the others I tried. I still love how convenient they are though so I still use them when we’re at home and a possible leak doesn’t matter too much. I hear they now have a two part system that works better.

I actually think it’s really good to use different brands. This way the fit is always a bit different which is beneficial for your baby’s comfort (one brand will be a little tighter around the waist, the other around the legs).

I’m a fan but this is why I don’t use cloth diapers full-time

1: Cloth diapers require different attire

Even the best of cloth diapers are bulkier than disposables. This means that you can’t dress your baby as you would with a regular diaper. Shopping in a size bigger than usual is one way of getting past this: body suits will otherwise be too tight. Leggings and tights will fit rather uncomfortably around the layers of diaper on the waist. I prefer to dress Phoebe in onesies when she’s in cloth diapers. But,… I love dressing up Phoebe, so when we go to a family party or I meet up with friends I use disposables so she can wear whatever cute outfit I feel like that day.

2: Movement

Research supports the fact that cloth diapered babies don’t have a disadvantage in advancing in their motor skills. However, I can’t shake the feeling that it isn’t comfortable for Phoebe to lie on her tummy on top of two layers of Velcro or buttons. In the Totsbots diapers, she was unable to pull up her knees. So for tummy time, and later when she’s practicing to sit up, I put on a disposable diaper (or in case of warm weather, I’ve let our babies practice naked). Once she’s mastered that new skill, I remember from Elliot and Amelia, the cloth diaper doesn’t hold them back.

3: Practicality

Although there are special laundry bags to store a dirty diaper till you arrive home, in practice I notice I have so much to take along and think about when I leave the house that
I prefer regular diapers for trips.

Also at the kids’ daycare I thought it might be too much of a hassle for the caretakers to juggle cloth diapers. I’m thinking about asking them this time though. A year ago with Amelia, I did give along cloth diapers to day care at the end. She was potty-trained but wore a diaper, just in case, during her naps. Our daycare was actually very positive
about the experience.

4: Wetness

This is a pro and a con really. Our kids seem to be very sensitive to a wet or dirty diaper. Even when I started cloth diapers with Phoebe at two months, she would immediately make clear when she had peed or pooped. So I change a diaper right away. This is not all bad because Elliot and Amelia were potty trained early. (Both around 20 months, day and night. You can read more here.) I’m convinced potty training was such a success because the cloth diapers allowed them to feel the difference between wet and dry. On the other hand, this is what keeps me from using them at night. I know that there are specific cloth diapers to use at night, but I don’t like the idea of Phoebe having a wet butt the entire night. So, I don’t mind using that one disposable diaper at night.

Summarized

Pro’s

· Good for the environment

· More natural for your baby’s skin.

· In the long haul (which it is, you child will be in diapers for a long time) it is way cheaper. Especially if you’re able to reuse with other babies and you can also put them up for sale afterwards.

· Cloth diapers do extremely well with poopsplosions. They have a higher fit in the back, so the poop is contained.

· You’ll never run out of diapers.

· Strangely enough, shopping for cloth diapers is addictive because the prints they come in are adorable!

· It may be easier to start potty training because kids will notice they’re wet sooner, which can be an incentive to get into underwear.

Cons

· Convenience.
There’s no way around it: disposable diapers are easier to change and of course
it’s easier to just chuck a diaper in the bin.

· Bigger investment up front (but cheaper in the end)

· More loads of laundry

· Wet: cloth diapers are very absorbent but do feel wet. As I have described this is both a con as a pro.

· Movement.
Some diapers are very bulky and restrain movement. Moms who are very pro cloth diapering seem to not want to admit to this. But I’m sorry to say most cloth diapering systems are just less comfortable for a baby learning to move. (I wrote more about this in the above).

· Their bulkiness requires a different way of clothing your baby. (bigger size, not to tight around the waist, closefitted clothes look a bit funny.)

Interested in cloth diapering, then check out my Instagram for more and head to the Nappys.nl website to order a rental set.

Other blogs that may interest you:

More on cloth diapering with pictures here.