(Top Row from left to right: Hoot, Chunky Monkey, Blue Giraffe. 2nd Row Double Chocolate, Mint Chocolate Chip. 3rd Row Moolicious, Cookies N' Cream, Orange Sherbert.)
Everyone probably knows by now based on my over excitement over this, that we have started to cloth diaper Eli. My report in this is officially I LOVE IT! I don't see why I didn't cloth with Zack it's so easy and really not as yucky as what you would expect. Now I have gotten mixed feelings about it and I just don't understand why. He's my son and that immediately means what goes on his little butt is mine and Stevens decision. Thankfully some of the comments from friends and family has brought a laugh and I am more than happy to educate so they can respect our decisions to make this change. Normally I wouldn't care what others think but I actually do feel strongly that cloth is better for a babies bottom than disposable so maybe my explanations will help another little bum out there be as comfy as possible.
Steven and I did do a lot of research before deciding on cloth. If you are considering to use cloth diapers I suggest to please find ones that work best for you and your family. If you honestly don't have any extra minutes to dedicate to washing them then I suggest you find a brand that requires less cleaning or maybe even a drop off service where they pick up your soiled diapers and bring you new ones. Unfortunately this choice was not an option for us since it still costs more money and they don't offer it in Japan. So we jumped into the cloth diapering world head first. After much consideration and listening to my other cloth friends out there. We chose to go with the Best Bottom system. They have inserts and shells. It's as easy as snapping in the insert and putting the soiled one in a wet bag. We put in a small investment knowing that the amount we spend will benefit us greatly in the long run. So far they have exceeded our expectations. So just for fun I have created a list of reasons why I love cloth diapering....
1.) Money, this is the main reason why we made the switch and was also the way Steven was convinced to switch as well.
2.) Clean, now you're probably thinking how is having a bunch of diapers in a bag waiting to be washed cleaner than just throwing them away? Well my friends they are washed everyday and put away there is no pile of nasty disposables in my trashcan which means a lighter trash bag for Steven to take out at night.
3.) No leaks! Usually when Eli poops in a disposable he leaks up his back into his hair and armpits. I don't know how in the world this is possible but it happens and it's gross. Since using his new diapers we have had zero leaks even with the poops that sound and look like a bomb went off in his pants. The diaper shell keeps it all in! This also means no more stains on his cute little clothes.
5.) I enjoy cleaning them. "WHAT??!?!?!?!?!" Is probably what's going through your mind. But I love knowing what's going on my babies bottom. We use a special detergent called Rockin Green and it works so well. All the ingredients are listed and it is scented but not strongly to make they diapers icky afterwards. As I said I wash them daily I empty the wet bag contents into the washer. First I rinse on cold, then wash with 3tbs of rockin green on hot, and then do one final rinse on warm. When they are washed I hang up the shells and tumble dry the inserts. If any stains made it on them I simply hang them outside to get some sun and it naturally bleaches the stains away. Easy!
6.) Steven likes them. He actually isn't bothered by changing them because I think the poop stays in place. There are even times he asks me before I change Eli if he could do it. Of course I step aside and let him indulge in diaper fun.
7.) Less night time diapers. We use the overnight inserts with a regular insert in a shell. He goes to bed at 9pm and is in the same diaper until 4-5am. Less night changes=longer sleep periods.
8.) Soft and comfy. The part of the insert that touches his skin is a soft fleece. I can only imagine how comfy he feels in them.
9.) No rashes....yet. Eli was getting a lot of rashes in other diapers. I never really thought it would be because of the chemicals in the diapers that made him break out. Since switching he has had ZERO rashes.
10.) They are super cute! Just look at our rollie pollie in them. My favorites are a toss up between Hoot and Moolicious. Steven loves Orange Sherbert!
Along with cloth diapering we are also making other changes in our household. Flannel wipes, comfort nursing, baby wearing, less processed foods, making my own laundry soap and less TV. Were trying to do better for our family by making healthy choices. I hope you are inspired to do the same.
