Fluffy little heinys

So we cloth diaper 3 boys full time. And I really, really love it.

Yeah, I'm a little crazy.

Most people I know think I'm nuts for doing it. Lot's of people think it's really gross. Some people think it's archaic for these times. A few people applaud my tenacity for doing it.

But let me tell you why we cloth diaper.

I have 3 boys in cloth diapers. Do the math. My 2 and 3 year old go thru about 5-6 diapers each per day. We'll say 11. That's 77 diapers in a week. My 3 month old goes thru almost 10 by himself per day. So another 70. That's 147 diapers a week. And I will round up just to make it easy. 150 per week. The average diaper costs $0.24 each.

We are talking almost $142 in stuff for baby butts a month. Insane!!!!!

Do you know how much money I have spent on my children's butts since my oldest?!?!?! Enough for a down payment on a new beemer.


Before my littlest was born, I looked into cloth. After a friend of mine found some reasonable priced cloth, I decided my budget and the earth deserved it.
So my upfront costs were pretty high considering the cost of an individual disposable diaper. But, we were given a gift of 20 diapers for the baby. I bought another 20, plus another 16 as seconds. The beginnings of a good stash.

Yes, it takes a few seconds longer to change a cloth diaper. Yes, it has moments of "gross-ness." Yes, I have to do more laundry.

But, the money saving factor (not to mention the "green" factor) is enough to keep me going.

Additionally, our diaper rash factor has gone WAY down. My oldest has food allergies and pretty sensitive skin. Since we began cloth, he hardly ever has issues. It's nice that I don't have to worry about changing him very hour with a rashy bottom. I don't have to buy hardly ANY diaper creams. (Before cloth, BC, I was going thru a $6 tube almost every other week!) And I also don't clip coupons or run around to a different store for sales.

As for the eco-friendliness of it. Its either trees or water. Using cloth saves millions of trees. Since I wash myself, the diaper service factor isn't there for mass water usage. And I also line dry my dipes, so less energy used there too. I use biodegradable soap (with all my laundry actually) so that's pretty earth friendly also. Plus, I'm significantly reducing our garbage waste.

In the long term, once the boys are all potty trained, I can up-cycle these dipes to any number of people. I will not make my money back, but I am reducing the initial cost and adding to the "green" factor for cloth in general. (Try doing that with a box of disposables!!!!!)
This will be the part where most non-cding people will stop reading. I will now go into intense cloth diaper detail. (The result of a fluff addicted mama!)

I love putting fluffy diapers on my boys. I love the cute prints, the bright colors, and not to mention my skinny little string beans can actually keep their pants up.

My favorite brand? I don't really have one. I like different brands for different reasons.

I love bumGenius, not just for their fit but their wear and longevity. Not great for my 3 year old, but love, love, love them on the babe. He has been wearing them since 4 weeks old, with minimal leakage. I actually bought almost all my BG's as seconds or gently used. And they are holding up and wearing well. What more can you ask for?!?

I love my Blueberrys for their fit and their style. Gorgeous prints! A bit trimmer than some and fit all 3 boys well. (I just wish they  weren't so darn expensive!) They have AMAZING aplix closures, those suckers aren't coming un-done for any kid!

For toddler sized diapers (for my special needs 3 y.o.) there are Kawaiis, the only diaper that fit him well. Totally inexpensive, very inexpensive, and crazy cheap. They are doing all right for the price. On a whim, I traded for some sized Fuzzi Bunz, and the larges fit him well too! The Happy Heinys (in large) are my go-to night diaper for my 3 year old as well. (Which I got as seconds on one of the mama bargain sites!)

We typically only use a pocket diaper, with a microfiber insert. This seems to be the best combo for both washing and for absorbency. We also prefer (well, the sitters and the DH) the aplix style closures. I guess the seem more "disposable" like. I take very good care of them, so they are all holding up very well.

There are literally hundreds of options out there for fit and style. There are millions of brands. And I am mo expert, but I have come a LOOOOOONG way from disposables.

I have Swaddlebees and Blueberrys. I have Thirsties duo diapers. I have prefolds and covers, lots of covers! I have Econobums, Flips, and BumGenius in 3.0 and 4.0. I have Fuzzi Bunz. I have Rumparooz. I have Kawaiis. I have Smartipants.

I may have a problem.

I think, for me, cloth diapering is a hobby. I really enjoy it. I don't mind the washing. In some ways it's a little therapeutic. I love seeing my covers line drying in my laundry room. I like folding and stuffing them. I love that my boys enjoy picking out their favorite diaper. I love knowing its healthier for them and the earth. What's not to love?
Since we started cd-ing, I have been inspired to make some other greener changes too. We have switched to cloth wipes. There are "reusable paper" towels for the bathroom. We use eco shopping bags as often as we can. We use snot rags and hankies for noses. Soon (and by that as soon as I can get them made) we will use reusable sandwich/snack bags. My wool dryers balls are on the drawing board instead of dryer sheets (as soon as I can figure out how to make them!) It's feels pretty good to make less waste. And as a family of 6, we make a LOT of waste.

In the long run, it may not do much good. I know that we aren't as "green" as we could be. But we try, we make the effort. At least for the time being, we have reduced our carbon footprint as much as I can handle.

Plus my boys look ADORABLE in their cloth diapers.

The inspiration is lacking....

After today, I'm not sure I have any thing left to write a witty or smart post. Today tested my mothering abilities to the MAX!!!! I hate it when most of the day goes right down the tubes.

So with 4 children, 5 and under, my two middle boys (almost 2 & 3) had yucky tummies, and we cloth diaper. I will NOT elaborate on that any further, I will have nightmares about this day just from that stand point. The baby (a whole 6 weeks old ) was pretty fussy and wanted to nurse every hour. My 5 year old was feeling left out and her asthma was flaring up in a major way. Plus it snowed (it's the end of freakin' February!!!!!!) and I needed to run to Target.

I probably don't need to add much after that description. I can imagine most parents already throwing in the towel. I just about did.

After a quick trip to the doctor with the 2 "yucky-tummy" boys, a Target run, a few nebulizer treatments, some major baby wearing in my trusty Moby, and an amazing MIL......I did manage to pull through, and all the children remain unscathed.

But some major parenting came into play. My children all have completely different needs. Today was a MAJOR play on that. They are all so different anyway, but adding a bad day to that......good heavens. I quickly came to realize that it wasn't about getting or giving them all the same treatment, but making sure they all got what they needed.

Let me go ahead and repeat that......it wasn't about making sure they had the same (insert an option: privileges, discipline, attention....) but making sure they got what they needed. I think that may be one of the most inspirational things I could ever write about.
As a parent my job is not making sure they all get the same thing, but they all get what they need.

(huge wave of relief washes over me)

Now, trying to get my children to understand that......totally different story. And when I figure that out, I will get back to you.

I can't imagine trying to make sure they all got the same thing today. Their needs are all so different. Sure my 5 y.o. moaned and groaned when she had to wait because her sick brothers needed something, or I was yet again nursing the baby. But she didn't have the same needs as her brothers. (hard lesson, I know)

But, at the end of the day, when they are all asleep and I can process and reflect on the day...I think I may have earned a gold star. Not because I made it through, not because the house is still intact, but because I made a HUGE parenting breakthrough. And, trust me, I don't have them very often.