According to the EPA, around 20 billion disposable diapers end up in landfills each year in the US alone, causing 3.5 million tons of waste. If you’re considering the switch to cloth diapers, here’s everything you need to know…
Confession: I didn’t cloth diaper with my son. As a first-time mother, just keeping a small human alive was overwhelming enough. Yet, filling two trash bags a week with disposable diapers (even supposedly more biodegradable ones manufactured with bamboo) made me feel guilty. The more I read, the more I could not hide from the fact disposable diapers contribute to climate change and other environmental issues.
When diapers end up in landfills they can introduce pathogens into the environment, potentially polluting groundwater. With many breaking down super slowly (it is estimated up to 500 years), methane and other toxic gases form and escape into the atmosphere helping to warm up the planet. Disposables also take tons of trees and petroleum to produce which both contribute to climate change. Losing trees means less carbon sequestering and we all know how fossil fuel extraction is harming our world. So long story short, when my daughter joined our family, I decided to make the switch.
How hard is it?
Let’s be real, cloth diapering is not as convenient as disposables. The process is messy and stinky and takes commitment. But like anything new, there’s trial and error and then you get into your groove. Now it’s just part of our routine.
There are so many brands! How do I pick?
There are lots of different types of cloth diapers (here’s a good breakdown from The Humbled Homemaker) but after chatting to a sales assistant in a cloth diaper store I opted for Grovia all-in-two, or hybrid cloth diapers as they are also known. Grovia’s all-in-twos are basically a two-part diaper system where a liquid-absorbing insert is snapped into a waterproof outer shell. The outer shell can be reused two or three times (with a fresh insert) if your tot is wet. If baby has produced something more stinky then you grab a new clean shell along with the insert. Being able to use the shell a couple of times cuts down a little on washing. When I polled mom friends about their go-to brands they recommended Kawaii Baby, Bambino Mio, BumGenius, Best Bottoms, Owl Be Green, AppleCheeks and Alva pockets. It might be worth buying one or two different types to see what works for you.
How many shells and inserts do you need?
I have about 10 shells and maybe 15 inserts, although some people prefer to have more in rotation especially with newborns.
Yuck, how do you deal with poop?
Removing solids is a messy business so we installed a cloth diaper sprayer next to the toilet to help hose the mucky stuff into the bowl. Honestly, I’m not sure how I would be able to do this without the sprayer. If you have a tip, please add it to the comments below!
Where do you keep all this stinky paraphernalia?
All our used shells and inserts go into a large wet bag hanging in the bathroom. I then transfer this bag to the washing machine.
How often do you change the diapers?
On average every couple of hours. For overnight, you may wish to buy a more robust fitted cloth diaper that has absorbent material throughout.
Am I going to spend more time with the washing machine than my husband?
Maybe. How much time do you spend with your husband? I tend to put on a wash every other day, including our reusable wipe system, to keep on top of everything. First, I put on a cold quick wash to rinse off any excess gunk and reduce staining. This is followed by a hot wash to sanitize everything. Occasionally, I will throw in a GroVia Mighty Bubbles Laundry Treatment to combat stubborn, lingering ammonia smells. I mostly air dry the shells and inserts. Grovia inserts retain water well so I turn them inside out and leave them to air dry for around 24 hours.
What’s the cost? Can I afford it?
Families who use cloth diapers full time can expect to save over $1,000 in the first three years of their baby’s life. I spent a couple of hundred dollars upfront on our cloth diaper system but our monthly costs have gone down as we don’t have to bulk buy diapers or baby wipes for that matter.
To save money look for second-hand cloth diapers online or ask at your local children’s consignment store. If you are struggling to pay for diapers (disposable or cloth), then The Cloth Option is a wonderful nonprofit providing free cloth diapers for families who qualify for assistance.
A last thought…
I’m not perfect at cloth diapering. I still put my daughter in a disposable Honest overnight diaper at bedtime and when we stay with my parents or inlaws I go back to bamboo disposables for the duration of our trip. You do what you can do, so don’t beat yourself up!
