For most of history, parents have used one form or another of cloth diapers for their children. Only in the last hundred years have we started to dispose of diapers as a matter of routine. But even while disposables have dominated the diaper scene, cloth alternatives continue to be used by many contemporary parents. There are plenty of pros and cons to each side, but good help can be hard to find when it comes to cloth diapering. Our goal here is to provide a quick and clean overview on the subject of cloth diapers for the modern parent.
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What Are Cloth Diapers, Exactly? What Do They Look Like?
Many people nowadays may not even realize that there is anything besides disposable diapers on the market. Even those who know that cloth diapers exist often don’t have a clear idea of what they look like or how they function. And they have changed a lot since our parents and grandparents used them.
The basic idea is always the same: cover your baby’s butt. The execution varies from culture to culture and decade to decade. You need an absorbent layer that will soak up moisture as needed, as well as a waterproof layer that will keep the unwanted moisture from penetrating other layers of clothing. Both need to be washable.
In our grandparents’ day, cloth diapers were very bulky. A thick square of cotton cloth was wrapped around the baby’s lower body and often pinned in place. Then plastic waterproof “pants” were pulled over the top of that, resulting in a posterior that looked something like a water balloon, whether it was actually wet or not.
These days, higher absorbency of materials works to our advantage, allowing for a thinner inside layer. Snaps and Velcro have eliminated both the need for pins and the risk of poking sensitive behinds. While still bulkier than (dry) disposable diapers, modern cloth diapers are much more streamlined than their forebears.
A typical cloth diaper these days may consist of one or two narrow pieces of absorbent cloth that act as “inserts,” which are placed inside a liner or “cover” that will keep them in place. The cover works a lot like a disposable diaper in terms of how it fits around the baby, and fastens with adjustable snaps so that it can “grow” with the baby over time.
To Use Cloth Diapers or Not?
Many new parents are asking this question. It can be a difficult one to answer. On the one hand, disposables are fast and easy. On the other hand, cloth diapers are more sustainable and cost-effective. People on both sides of the issue can have some pretty strong opinions: “Disposable diapers are ruining the planet. If you’re a responsible parent, you should never trash the planet with those things.” “Cloth diapers are a thing of the past. I can’t even imagine how anybody could deal with cleaning them. I’d puke!”
Even if you decide to use cloth diapers, there are additional factors to consider. Will you use them from birth all the way to potty training, or wait until the first weeks of postpartum are over to make the commitment? Will you use them everywhere, or switch to disposables when you’re on a vacation? What brand will you use? How many do you need? The list goes on, and it can get really overwhelming.
Our opinion is that, like the diapers themselves, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You don’t have to use cloth diapers. I know lots of people who don’t for various reasons, and that is okay. Yes, I think that cloth diapering is better than using disposables, but everyone has to discern what works for them. Even from kid to kid, the needs may be different. The important thing is that we do our best to take good care of our children according to the wisdom that God gives us.
Our Cloth Diapering Journey
We have not always used cloth diapers. When we were expecting our first, we asked our midwife whether we should start out using cloth diapers from birth. She looked at her assistant, and they both firmly answered, “No!” We were a little surprised by that response, but the midwife explained that in those first days, everything is so new and wonderful yet hard and challenging that cloth diapering just doesn’t have to be a part of that scenario. She recommended that we wait at least a few weeks before switching from disposable to cloth diapers.
We took her advice and were very glad we did. As it turned out, we didn’t buy cloth diapers until our baby was four months old. We began by using a waterproof cover with an insert that tucked loosely inside. This type of diaper annoyed both of us because you were supposed to replace the insert and reuse the cover, but the cover usually got wet or poopy along with the insert and needed to be washed anyway. Given the fact that there were only two covers, this meant that we were either constantly having to wash a cover or leaving our child in a cover that had been soiled. Not pleasant. So we switched to this brand of diapers. It still has an outer cover and separate inserts, but both are meant to be washed after each use. We have had good success with these and recommend them for sure.
With our second child, we discovered that cloth diapers can be more challenging to use for babies with sensitive skin. We had to be much more disciplined about changing the diapers frequently and washing them promptly or he would break out in a rash. Disposable diapers seem to do a better job of keeping moisture away for longer periods of time, so they don’t make him break out like the cloth ones can. We still prefer not to throw so many diapers away, but it is a tricky balance we have to be careful about.
Why We Like Using Cloth Diapers
- It is far, far cheaper in the long run to use cloth diapers. If you use 18 cloth diapers, that costs you about $90 and will last for the entire diapering stage of your child’s life (and the next child, too!). You’ll get about 300 Pampers disposables for the same price, which might last two or three months. So in the end, you save a lot of money when you use cloth diapers.
- They are better for the environment. Nobody really argues about that one, but it is definitely a point that we appreciate.
- They tend to be a lot better for your baby’s bottom, too. Disposables can have all sorts of potentially harmful materials included during manufacture.
- It might sound funny to say, but the added padding makes for a more comfortable landing when one of our children happens to fall on their bottom and they’re less likely to cry. A small win, but a win nonetheless!
What You Need to Start Cloth Diapering
Diapers: You need the outer cover and the inserts. So far we have used ALVABABY Diapers because they are adjustable, which means they fit from new born to 33 lbs. They have also held up well after being used for two kids.
Wet Bags: A wet bag is a bag that you throw soiled diapers into to keep the mess from spreading. They are waterproof and washable, and are especially helpful when you are not at home. We have even seen people use them for disposable diapers when there isn’t a trash can readily available. We try to launder ours regularly, though they don’t need to washed as often as the diapers themselves.
5-Gallon Bucket: Once diapers have been used, they need to be kept together until you have enough diapers to make a load, albeit a small one. We heard someone recommend using a 5-gallon bucket to hold (and even pre-soak) dirty diapers. This has worked well for us—just make sure it has a lid! We fill the bucket half full with water, add in some detergent, and take the inserts out of the diaper cover so that they can soak more thoroughly.
Wipes: Find wet wipes that work for your baby. We realized pretty early on that our first born was reacting to the wipes we were using, and diaper rash is not fun, folks. Eventually we suspected that the sodium benzoate in the wipes was what he was reacting to. Most wipes have sodium benzoate in them because it is a preservative. Unfortunately, it can also act as an inflammatory agent. We switched to WaterWipes because they are free from sodium benzoate, free from plastics, unscented, and hypoallergenic. Their website states that they are simply water and a little grapefruit seed extract.
How to Clean Cloth Diapers
This always seems to be the biggest concern for anybody who is new to the cloth diapering scene. Some might say that it is a major disadvantage of using cloth diapers. If handled properly, however, the cleaning process doesn’t have to be a horrible experience! We have tried a few different methods out, and this is what we recommend:
Soak
Take the soiled diaper and knock any poop out into the toilet. For extra-clean results, rinse out the cover and inserts separately under lukewarm water. This might be the step that puts some people over the edge with the “ew” factor. You can skip it, but you’ll have better results if you don’t. Put the cover and inserts into a 5-gallon pail that is half-filled with water and a 1/2 cup of laundry detergent. Repeat the process for subsequent diapers until you have enough to wash a load.
Wash
Throw the pail of water, detergent, and diapers into the wash machine along with some more detergent. Run a load just like you would with normal laundry. You can also add 1/2-1 cup of hydrogen peroxide as a natural bleaching agent. If your wash machine has an “extra rinse” setting, you might want to use that to ensure a good clean.
Dry
Read the label of your cloth diapers to determine the best method here. We put ours in the dryer on medium heat for the maximum time, since they can be damp if the temp is too low or the dry time too short. We also like to hang dry them outside, since sunlight naturally bleaches and disinfects them. Products will vary, however, depending on the different materials used, so be sure to check the tag and see what is recommended.
How Often Should You Change Cloth Diapers?
Cloth diapers are not going to hold as much pee as disposable diapers, so you will want to change them a little more frequently, but you can usually get by with changing them every 2-4 hours during the day. I would not wait longer than that, since the wet cloth can become irritating to tender skin. Cloth diapers can last through the night: you might just have to add an extra insert to make sure your baby doesn’t leak through.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice of whether to use cloth diapers or not is totally up to you. If it is going to just stress you out more and send you over the edge, then don’t. It’s okay. Don’t let others’ ideas or opinions worry you. Do what works for you and let God take care of the rest.
Cloth diapers can be quite challenging and also quite rewarding. They are not the best answer in all cases, but they can be a valid means of exercising good stewardship in your home. Our own adventure with them continues. In the end, we all need to remember that what matters most isn’t the diaper: it’s the care we give to the ones we love.
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