troubleshooting
Leap over obstacles to cloth diapering with these handy tips
Thinking of using cloth diapers but feeling over-
whelmed? Cloth-diaper enthusiasts may make it look easy, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy for you. If you want to try cloth—try it! Don’t feel it’s an all-or-nothing proposition. T ough it may take more eff ort at the beginning, we promise that it will soon become second nature. T ink of it this way: If you use one cloth diaper a week on
your child, that’s already 52 plastic diapers a year that don’t end up in the landfi ll. Even that makes a diff erence. Here are some real-life solutions to common cloth-diaper
challenges:
Problem: “I wanted to use cloth but I just didn’t like how oſt en I had to change the diapers.”—Anjie, mother of Dane (8) and
Aubrey (7); Ashland, Oregon
Solution: Pocket diapering systems, such as FuzziBunz and JamTots’ Kangaroo, wick moisture away from a baby’s skin, while the cotton insert or prefold inside the pocket gets soaked. T ese diapers don’t need to be changed as oſt en as more traditional cloth systems.
Problem: “It was a challenge to get them to fi t. My daughter was born with really skinny legs and would have blowouts when she was teeny tiny. By three months, she became so chunky that the diaper covers would leave rings on her fat
thighs.”—Jennifer, mother of Hannah (2)
Solution: Soſt Bums (
www.soſt
bums.com) makes a diaper that has a hidden, easy-to-use drawstring elastic to adjust the leg size and the rise size. It gives your baby a better fi t no matter what size legs she has. Rocky Mountain Diapers (
www.rocky
mountaindiapers.com/ClothDiapers.html) and Clover Fitted Dia- pers (
www.preciousdignity.com) also have adjustable leg holes.
Problem: “I work full time and I see my son only in the eve- nings and on weekends. I didn’t want to spend the little time we have together doing laundry.”—Abby, mother of Oliver (19
months); Medford, Oregon
Solution: A cloth-diapering laundry service is the way to go for busy working moms. T e Real Diaper Association has a list: Go to
www.realdiaperassociation.org and click on “Diaper Services” in the leſt -hand sidebar (you can fi nd other services online). If there’s no service near you, buy enough diapers so that you need to wash them only every three or four days,
when you’ll be doing laundry anyway, and if necessary hire a mother’s helper to do the laundry.
Problem: “I’m a pretty eco-conscious person, but we didn’t even try cloth. We travel a lot, and the idea of washing diapers seemed like more work than we would be willing to put in.”
—Sarah Jane, mother of Rosalee (4) and Mateo (1); Nashville, Tennessee
Solution: Traveling with cloth diapers requires a little extra planning, but really, all you need are a suitcase for the diapers, two waterproof bags (one for wet diapers, one for soiled), and access to a washing machine. Most people traveling with small children end up doing laundry anyway; you can wash diapers with the other clothes.
Problem: “At fi rst, I felt cloth diapers were too expensive. We didn’t have enough money to start a stash.”—Amanda, mother
of Jack (8) and Kate (4); Taylorsville, Georgia
Solution: Although you save a lot of money in the long run, the startup costs of using cloth can be daunting. Buy diaper- ing systems for half price or less at secondhand children’s clothing stores, or surprisingly cheap “seconds” from diaper- laundering services (these diapers have small blemishes or holes). Get hand-me-downs (cloth-enthusiast moms in your community will want to share!), or ask friends, fam- ily, and coworkers to contribute a giſt certifi cate or buy you one diaper each to get you started. Several companies also off er aff ordable new-diaper options: Cotton Babies recently launched a new product, Econobum, for families struggling fi nancially. You can buy a one-size-fi ts-all diaper cover and a one-size prefold together for under $10, or a dozen diapers with three covers for about $50.
Problem: “When my fourth was born, the hospital here used cloth. He was early and tiny, and they just did not fi t him
well.”—Lynette, mother of six (24, 21, 20, 18, 15, 14); Colorado Springs, Colorado
Solution: Bummis makes a teeny-tiny prefold diaper of organic cotton that fi ts preemie babies and small newborns who weigh from four to nine pounds. T eir Velcro-closing Super Brite cover has an overlapping system that works for skinny baby legs.
—Jennifer Margulis
May–June 2010 |
mothering.com
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MELYSSA HOLIK
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