This crazy thing we do...

As everyone knows, I love to save money and I also like to try new and different things (teaching in a bilingual classroom, tutoring a family in Cozumel, going on a kayaking trip the weekend before school started, getting my haircut where I can't understand what's being said, marrying Dennis Grover :), etc.). When we were expecting Amity, I began hearing about different friends and family that were using cloth diapers. Under the tutelage of my friend Rose and my cousin's wife Kendra, we have set up a system that is cheap, easy, and relatively stink-free! Since I have had several people ask about how I do it, I am going to try to provide my own CD (that's "cloth diapering" for those in the know!) tutoring session.


WHAT WE USE:
Diapers - We have 13 BumGenius 3.0 one-size pocket diapers. We purchased 1 from Cotton Babies for $17.95 and 12 on Craig's List for $180 ($15/each). I have also seen these for sale on Diapers.com. The reasons I like BumGenius are:

• They go on just like disposable diapers with velcro instead of tape for the tabs.


• They wick the wetness away. The insert will be soaked but the part that is touching the baby feels dry.


• Using the snaps, they grow in size with the baby.


• They dry more quickly than an AIO (all in one) diaper because you pull the insert out which allows it to get cleaner and dry faster.


• They don't stain! I don't know how they do it but it is pretty amazing!
  

For the first six weeks, we used 10 Kissaluvs fitted diapers and 4 Thirsties covers. I bought my Kissaluvs used and the Thirsties covers new from Bree's Bums. These worked great as well for the newborn stage but I am now a fan of Bum Genius.

Cloth Wipes - Something else I would never have thought of but is now a favorite thing! I found a pack of 30 Wamsutta Baby Washcloths at Tuesday Morning for about $4. We use them as wipes and wash them along with the diapers. I put clean washcloths in a plastic wipes container, pour some water and baby oil over them, and shake. Contrary to what you may assume of a cloth diaperer, I don't want to touch poop and, as a result, I usually go through about six wipes on a dirty diaper change. Since these wipes are reusable, my phobia doesn't break our budget!

Diaper Pail - On the recommendation of my cousins, we use the Blue Penguin Diaper Pail Liner inside the The Container Store 35 lb Pet Food Container. Even with potent formula fed diapers, this combo has done a great job of keeping the smell out of the nursery. However, be warned that when you raise the lid to deposit a diaper, you will be greeted with a strong whiff but it will disappear quickly! :) When it is time for laundry (we wash every 2-3 days), I just pull the liner out of the pail, carry it to the washer, dump out the contents, and throw the liner in too.

Wet Bags - For the first couple of months, we just used large ziploc bags to store dirty diapers in the diaper bag when we were away from home. This works fine. However, there are so many cute wet bags out there so we splurged $16 at Teeni Banini to buy two. There are quite a few websites with patterns for making your own but it is recommended that you use PUL fabric on the inside.

Washing Machine - We are currently using a regular nine-year-old washing machine that has endured the laundry of quite a few roommates, visiting family, one husband, one daughter, and myself. When this one ultimately gives out, we plan to get a HE front loader but these old ones still do the job. We use All Free & Clear detergent and just about half of the recommended amount. While it seems counterintuitive, too much detergent and too many additives will actually make the diapers less sanitary, more smelly, and less able to do their job of absorbing.

We do a short cold cycle to remove the stains, followed by a short hot cycle to sanitize, then a short 2nd rinse to remove the soap residue. For drying, we typically hang dry on our drying rack in our laundry room. If we are in a hurry, we dry the diapers on high heat for 20 minutes. If the diapers become discolored or begin to smell, a few hours of laying in the sun will brighten them back to normal. Once a month, I add a little bleach to the hot cycle to sanitize and freshen the diapers. More washing directions can be found for Bum Genius here and Kissaluvs here.

One last thing, as the diapers begin to contain more, shall we say, SOLIDS, you just dump those into the toilet. There are diaper sprayers available but thus far, we haven't seen the need.