So You’re Ready to Switch to Cloth Diapers, Now What?

There are many things that new parents have to consider.  One of the scariest things is to look at the financial obligations that a new baby requires.  Another is to think about the effects that these decisions are gong to have on the world around them.  One of the best ways to both help the environment and to save money is by making the switch to cloth diapers.

Of course a lot of people have no desire to use cloth because they are so wrapped up in the ease of the disposable diapers.  However there are so many advantages that should be thought about and considered when making this decision because cloth really can be the better choice.  They are going to be healthier for the baby because they are not exposed to the chemical crystals that all disposable diapers contain.  In addition they will also help the baby to have less diaper rash.

When you are considering the cost effectiveness of cloth you have to first consider all costs associated with diapering either way.  Most children are in diapers for about two and half or three years.  The average number of diapers that a child uses in a day is between eight and twelve.  Now of course this is an average considering more diapers for a newborn and fewer diapers for a toddler that is potty training.  So when you look at the overall cost you will see how it is going to around $2000 to use the disposable versions. 

Buying cloth always throws people off at first because the initial start up costs are a bit more.  However you are really going to save when you figure that you only have to buy the cloth one time instead of having to buy the disposables all of the time . Plus with today’s cloth diapers there are a lot of affordable choices and options out there.

If you have not looked at cloth diapers before you might be surprised to learn about all of the different types of diapers that are available.  Today there are fitteds, prefolds, flats, pocket diapers, one sized diapers, and all in one or all in two diapers.  Each of these have their advantages and some are definitely easier to use than others.

 Of course there are additional items that you will have to consider as you make the switch as well.  This would include that if you are using prefolds, flats, or fitteds that you purchase covers as well so that they are waterproof.  Covers can be made in a variety of different ways but the most common are PUL (basically a waterproof inner with a cloth outer and come in a variety of prints and colors), wool (this one is the most expensive but many parents who use cloth prefer this choice), and fleece to name a few.

You will also want a diaper pail liner and a diaper pail or trashcan with lid that you can use for your diaper pail.  Wetbags are also great for when you are not at home and are leaving the house to bring your diapers that are dirty home in.  It is true that you are going to have to do more laundry but with one child in cloth you really only have to do the laundry every two to three days if you purchase enough diapers.  So the amount of laundry that you do is really not a big deal in the end.