Is it too late to start cloth diapering?
Even if your baby is now a new toddler, it’s not too late to
start cloth diapering. You’ll still save money because most kids don’t potty
train until around 2-3 years old. And you’ll save during that time too!
I didn’t learn about cloth diapering until my first was 9
months old. After I learned about what is in
disposable diapers. I bought some
prefolds and covers and started to cloth diaper her. Right away, I liked that
she was in soft cloth, instead of plastic all day long. I liked how natural it
felt, how affordable it was, and how, surprisingly, much fun I was having cloth
diapering her. And I loved that I wasn’t covering her with dioxin, a
highly-toxic carcinogen that is in disposable diapers. I switched from using disposable diapers full
time to using prefolds and covers. We even lived in an apartment complex that
had a shared coin operated laundry machine. And the machine was in the dungeon
(aka the basement of our vintage apartment building). But, we managed and we
did it and it was the best decision ever.
So, if you’ve been
considering cloth diapers, let’s talk about you and your toddler and what you’d
need to switch over.
Toddlers don’t need diaper changes as often as new babies
do. That means you only need 6-8 diapers a day for your toddler. If you want to
wash every 2 days (that’s usually what you aim for) then you’d need 12-16
diapers. In my experience with cloth diapering toddlers, the quicker the diaper
gets changed, the better. So, pockets, all in ones or hybrid diapers work best
if you have a wiggly baby that doesn’t like diaper changes. Doing a mix of
cloth diapers to see what you like best is always a good idea.
In addition to your diapers, you’ll need something to put
them in after a diaper change. That’s when a wetbag (used when out and about)
and your diaper pail come in. Go for reusable diaper pail liners and wetbags so
you can then wash them with your diapers and continue using them again once
washed and dried.
And then finally, you’ll need a good cloth diapering
detergent, like Rockin Green, and cloth wipes (optional, but do clean much much
better than disposable wipes).
Poopy – what do about the not so cute toddler poopy? Toddler poopy can get messy. That’s why I
like using cloth wipes because they clean much better than disposable. And I
will sometimes also use flushable liners for easier poopy clean up. Do you need
a diaper sprayer? Well, you’ll appreciate having one when your toddler poops,
but you can also simply swish the poopy part of the diaper in your toilet bowl
and then put it in your diaper pail. And
for pee pee diapers, you just put it in your diaper pail.
Don’t save cloth diapering for the “next baby”. I know I would’ve missed so much
had I don’t that with my 9 mos old. I’m so glad I took the plunge and I
encourage you to do the same. Lots of cloth diapering time is ahead – enjoy!
Written by Giselle Baturay, mama to three cloth diapered
kids and owner of Granola Babies.
2 comments:
Thanks for your comment on my blog. The starfish was very spontaneous and I love how it turned out. I have been out of the blogger-verse lately. I see you completely changed yours up. I love it! As always little Miss Stella is a darling!
Great post! I couldn't agree more! I started cloth diapering my toddler because I had tried everything else to get rid of the severe eczema she had in her diaper area. Along with some dietary changes, problem solved!
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