Thread: Diapers

Originally Posted by b0000urns

With talk of BBS, I started wondering how many of the people here with small children(or some of the senior members) use cloth diapers. My son is a year and a half and we've been using cloth diapers from the start. We have a very basic approach. Plain cotton gauze rectangles, clips (sometimes pins), and nylon covers. I can fold the diapers any way I want, adjust the size easily, boil them if I need to, and when they wear out I use them as cleaning rags or to shine my shoes.

My son is 12 now and a while back I found a cloth diaper that we never used, it is now my shaving towel..

We have twins that are currently in diapers. While looking at the cost of both we found that the cloth diapers was cheaper. The only problem was that we live in a small appartment and didn't have laundry facilities. It would not of been practical for us to use cloth so we use the disposable. On the plus side we wait until the diapers are really full before we change them. It's the only way we could think of trying to save on the landfills.

Originally Posted by slegault

It's the only way we could think of trying to save on the landfills.

There something else you can do with disposables that I've never heard of anyone doing, but the packages instruct you to do so: clean off any solid waste and put it in the toilet, rather than tossing it with the diaper in the trash can.

Originally Posted by b0000urns

There something else you can do with disposables that I've never heard of anyone doing, but the packages instruct you to do so: clean off any solid waste and put it in the toilet, rather than tossing it with the diaper in the trash can.

Actually I just remember that my twin group told us about a service that would use the soiled diapers for fertilizer or recycling it somehow. The problem was that we needed to install a bin on the property that the company would empty every two weeks and give us new diapers. The landlord of the building wouldn't let us put the bin on their property. Here is the link if anyone in the GTA is interested.

http://www.smallplanetinc.com/

As for putting it in the toilet I thought that would cause the toilet to back up.

Originally Posted by slegault

As for putting it in the toilet I thought that would cause the toilet to back up.

I believe that you would be putting just the solid waste (the poo) in the toilet. The diaper would still go in the trash.

We couldn't find a cloth diaper service 3 years ago when my son was born. We went the disposable route.

Ray

Originally Posted by slegault

We have twins that are currently in diapers. While looking at the cost of both we found that the cloth diapers was cheaper. The only problem was that we live in a small appartment and didn't have laundry facilities. It would not of been practical for us to use cloth so we use the disposable. On the plus side we wait until the diapers are really full before we change them. It's the only way we could think of trying to save on the landfills.

We also live in an apartment and with my son we had a diaper service pick up the soiled diapers. Some very thoughtful person gave us 3 months of this as a gift.

Looking to have our first kid here soon (so isn't pregnant but we are working on it) , so this topic has come up.

I see how cloth can be cheaper, but less convenient overall. So how do you guys who have gone th cloth rout handle the little annoyances. Like what do you do with them when you have to change away from home? Is there really a greater likelihood
of leakage as the disposable companies would have you believe? Is there increased skin irritation again as advertised by the competing product?

Also anyone who doesn't use a service, how difficult is it to wash them, and are there any ill effects to your washer?

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Looking to have our first kid here soon (so isn't pregnant but we are working on it) , so this topic has come up.

I see how cloth can be cheaper, but less convenient overall. So how do you guys who have gone th cloth rout handle the little annoyances. Like what do you do with them when you have to change away from home? Is there really a greater likelihood
of leakage as the disposable companies would have you believe? Is there increased skin irritation again as advertised by the competing product?

Also anyone who doesn't use a service, how difficult is it to wash them, and are there any ill effects to your washer?

We used both for our two kids. Easy is definitely the disposables. Cloth is cheaper though. Both are ok though. Was happy as a clam when they were potty trained.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Like what do you do with them when you have to change away from home?

We always keep a plastic bag or two in the diaper bag for dirty diapers or clothes, but if we know we're going to be out for a while we'll use disposables. There are people who never use disposables. I think you just have to make sure you have temporary storage for the dirty ones.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Is there really a greater likelihood
of leakage as the disposable companies would have you believe?

No. I've had more problems of leaks and blowouts with disposables. Cloth has plenty of material to absorb whatever comes its way.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Is there increased skin irritation again as advertised by the competing product?

I have not had problems with this. If you change a diaper whenever it's wet or soiled, dry the baby and put a clean diaper on--there should be no problems. And if you notice a little irritation, throw some butt paste or vaseline on there. With a cloth diaper it's easy to know if it's wet, because it feels wet. With disposable diapers a baby can go quite a while in a pee-filled diaper, but it feels dry so you don't change it. From what I've heard, even though dry, having a mix of urin and whatever chemicals they put into those gels is what causes most of the irritation. We watch a couple kids, and they use disposable diapers. Those kids have mild irritation much more than mine.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

Also anyone who doesn't use a service, how difficult is it to wash them, and are there any ill effects to your washer?

I don't use a service, and washing is no problem. We have a front-loading washer that gets them clean with no fuss. A regular washer should work fine too, but I've never tried it. I've had no ill effects on the washer, but now that he's started eating raisins, I've noticed a few skins left in the washer (they get imbedded in the diapers and are too big to pass through the holes in the washer). There are plenty of washing regimes on the internet, but if you'd like to know the specifics of mine I'd be happy to pass them along.


I love having the extra work. It's not much more, and for me it's worth it. (Sort of like shaving with a straight.) Is it better for my son? I'm not sure, but in my mind it is. The time I spend washing, folding, and occasionally ironing diapers is no problem, because I feel I'm doing something good for him. Regardless or what type of diapers you use, don't think of changing them as a chore, but rather as a chance to spend some time with your kid. It's a couple of minutes of one-on-one time, that is a perfect opportunity to smile and laugh with each other.