DISCLAIMER: This post is not interesting unless you are REALLY into baby stuff. This is also probably one of the wordiest blog posts I have ever written. You have been warned.
Ever since we found out that we're having another baby girl, I have had to restrain myself from going nuts buying adorable baby outfits, accessories, and diapers. "Diapers?", you say with confusion. "Diapers are adorable? Oh you must be talking about the new Huggies Jeans! Or maybe the new Pampers that were designed by Cynthia Rowley!" To which I respond, "No, silly! I'm talking about cloth!"
Now before you crinkle up your nose and tell me how disgusting cloth is and how I'll absolutely hate it, hear me out!
1. Cloth diapering is NOT what it used to be. The days of thin, leaky squares of fabric that need to be intricately folded, pinned, and covered with plastic pants are behind us! The days of hand washing in the toilet and hanging on a line to dry are long gone! While prefolds and covers ARE still an option, there are also diapers out there that work exactly like disposables. Just lay the baby on the diaper, fasten it, and move on! They can be washed and dried in machines and, according to the people that I've talked to, nobody has seen a dramatic increase in their utility bills from the added loads.
I sold a diaper similar to this (different print) for $28. How much do
you suppose I could have gotten for a used disposable......
This diaper was made from the same fabric as Jon's Marine camis.
Ever since we found out that we're having another baby girl, I have had to restrain myself from going nuts buying adorable baby outfits, accessories, and diapers. "Diapers?", you say with confusion. "Diapers are adorable? Oh you must be talking about the new Huggies Jeans! Or maybe the new Pampers that were designed by Cynthia Rowley!" To which I respond, "No, silly! I'm talking about cloth!"
Now before you crinkle up your nose and tell me how disgusting cloth is and how I'll absolutely hate it, hear me out!
1. Cloth diapering is NOT what it used to be. The days of thin, leaky squares of fabric that need to be intricately folded, pinned, and covered with plastic pants are behind us! The days of hand washing in the toilet and hanging on a line to dry are long gone! While prefolds and covers ARE still an option, there are also diapers out there that work exactly like disposables. Just lay the baby on the diaper, fasten it, and move on! They can be washed and dried in machines and, according to the people that I've talked to, nobody has seen a dramatic increase in their utility bills from the added loads.
A Kawaii pocket diaper. Easy to use, easy to clean!
2. Who LOVES to throw money away? Anybody? We definitely don't in this house! Which brings me to our second reason for choosing cloth diapers over disposables: cost! There is a saying in the cloth diapering community that if your diapers aren't cloth, they're garbage. Yes, it's a bit snarky, but it's also technically true. What do you do after a baby uses a disposable diaper? You toss it in the garbage. That diaper and the money spent on it is gone and, unfortunately, you're not getting it back!
Aside from the money that we'll save by not having to spend $40 on diapers every 1-3 weeks, we also get to factor in resale value. This was a big factor in helping me decide which types and brands to purchase while building my cloth stash. Some prints/brands can be sold used for as much as they go for new simply because the prints are in high demand. For the sake of not misrepresenting this aspect of cloth though, I will say that it's rare for you to make all of your money back. Depending on how well you care for your diapers you can probably expect to make anywhere from 1/4-1/2 of your money back on them when you go to sell. Keep in mind that cloth diapers can also be kept and reused through multiple children, though it's a better idea to sell and "upgrade" as new and improved styles come out to get better resale value.
Aside from the money that we'll save by not having to spend $40 on diapers every 1-3 weeks, we also get to factor in resale value. This was a big factor in helping me decide which types and brands to purchase while building my cloth stash. Some prints/brands can be sold used for as much as they go for new simply because the prints are in high demand. For the sake of not misrepresenting this aspect of cloth though, I will say that it's rare for you to make all of your money back. Depending on how well you care for your diapers you can probably expect to make anywhere from 1/4-1/2 of your money back on them when you go to sell. Keep in mind that cloth diapers can also be kept and reused through multiple children, though it's a better idea to sell and "upgrade" as new and improved styles come out to get better resale value.
A Goodmama fitted- Jane Swashbuckle print. Skully prints, especially
the ones made for girls are very popular right now and re-sell well.
the ones made for girls are very popular right now and re-sell well.
I sold a diaper similar to this (different print) for $28. How much do
you suppose I could have gotten for a used disposable......
This diaper was made from the same fabric as Jon's Marine camis.
3. Ok, full disclosure. We are not a "Go Green" household. My husband will gladly tell you how he feels about the green movement if you ask him. However, I would be lying if I said that the thought of thousands of soiled, non bio-degradable diapers piling up in landfills doesn't gross me out a little. Cloth is definitely an option that is friendlier to the environment if that is a concern for you.
What IS a concern for me is my baby's health and well being. If you're not a parent (and even if you are) you may not have heard about the recent controversy with the new Pamper's Dry Max diapers. I don't want to spend too much time on that so if you want to know more, go to Google and type in "Pamper's Dry Max chemical burns." Yes, folks. Chemical burns. Chemical burns on sensitive baby bottoms. Seeing the pictures and reading the testimonials (some of them from very good, personal friends of mine) was enough to make me not want to touch them with a ten foot pole let alone stick one on my baby. While I don't believe that Huggies has had any similar controversy, most disposable diapers contain the same ingredients with slight variations. Lists can be found here or here. The thought of all of those chemically treated synthetics against my baby's skin makes me uneasy.
Ok, enough diaper talk! If you want to know more, this post is a great place to start.
On to the clothes! I've sworn up and down that I'm not going to buy too many clothes, but there were a few that I just had to have. Back when I was convinced that I was having a boy, I got really attached to all of the cute monkey and elephant adorned clothing out there for boys. After we learned that we were having a girl, I was pleased to find that monkey and elephant clothing isn't limited to boys!
What IS a concern for me is my baby's health and well being. If you're not a parent (and even if you are) you may not have heard about the recent controversy with the new Pamper's Dry Max diapers. I don't want to spend too much time on that so if you want to know more, go to Google and type in "Pamper's Dry Max chemical burns." Yes, folks. Chemical burns. Chemical burns on sensitive baby bottoms. Seeing the pictures and reading the testimonials (some of them from very good, personal friends of mine) was enough to make me not want to touch them with a ten foot pole let alone stick one on my baby. While I don't believe that Huggies has had any similar controversy, most disposable diapers contain the same ingredients with slight variations. Lists can be found here or here. The thought of all of those chemically treated synthetics against my baby's skin makes me uneasy.
Ok, enough diaper talk! If you want to know more, this post is a great place to start.
On to the clothes! I've sworn up and down that I'm not going to buy too many clothes, but there were a few that I just had to have. Back when I was convinced that I was having a boy, I got really attached to all of the cute monkey and elephant adorned clothing out there for boys. After we learned that we were having a girl, I was pleased to find that monkey and elephant clothing isn't limited to boys!
Carter's three piece set.
Elephant footed sleeper
Monkey footed sleeper
These are on the boy-ish side, but I hear babies aren't too picky about what they wear. Daddy is a helicopter crew chief so I these were a must! I figure if these cause her to be referred to as "him", it's not a huge deal. Arianna was mistaken for a boy several times and she's mostly ok ;)
A gift from my lovely friend Cassie!
Another gift from Cassie. I LOVE military themed baby stuff!
