Thursday, May 17, 2012

why cloth diapers?


I began researching cloth diapers when I got pregnant with Duke.  I was pretty sure we were going to go that route.  And we did.  I was blessed with 19 Fuzzibunz cloth diapers from my baby showers.  We were definitely set.

Although I do love our planet, I'm not really doing cloth diapers in order to save the environment or go green.  I'm trying to save money.  I think the biggest way to save money with babies is breastfeeding.  The second biggest way is by using cloth diapers.  (Don't quote me on that, but that's my observation so far.  All you crazies put your calculators away.)

Cloth diapers?  Like ... wrap your baby's butt with cloth, stick in some safety pins, and throw on some plastic pants?  That kind?  Heck no!  Welcome to 2012.  Cloth diapers have evolved.  Maybe by 2030 they'll figure out how to make babies not poop at all.

Anyway, it's not that difficult.  There are some basic things to know, some things to do in preparation, and some other tips/information I'd like to offer.  But for now, I'm trying to convince you to click on that little Fuzzibunz banner at the bottom of my blog and buy some cloth diapers!

(Let me know when you're convinced and I'll stop typing.)

But really, let's just do a little math.  (You may get out your calculators now.)

On a normal day, you may go through anywhere from 6-10 diapers.  Let's go for the middle number.  8 diapers a day comes to about 248 diapers a month.  At Walmart, you can by a box of 108 Pampers Swaddlers for $25.00.  In a month, that's $57.40 for exactly 248 diapers ($0.23 per diaper).  In 1 year, that's roughly $688.88 worth of diapers. (I do realize not every month has 31 days.  So, give or take a few bucks.)  A pack of 18 Fuzzibunz diapers is $341.10.  And, trust me, 18 is plenty for one baby.

$688.88 versus $341.10 spent in 1 year
OR
$1,377.76 versus $341.10 spent in 2 years

So, you're definitely saving money.  Of course, there are other things that play into this equation like purchasing specific laundry detergent to clean the diapers and the number of cycles it takes to wash a load of diapers.  On the other hand, you can use these diapers with multiple children.  I'll address all of that business in future posts.

All I want you to do is think about it.  If you have money growing on trees in your backyard and don't really care to save those trees for future generations, then cloth diapering may not be for you.  And that's totally fine.  I don't have intense opinions about diapering.  Disposable diapers are great.  We use them occasionally when we're out for long periods of time.  But I just want to save some monies.

Questions?  Concerns?  Leave a comment and maybe I can help you.  Regardless, click on that banner and do a little reading about Fuzzibunz cloth diapers!

8 comments:

  1. On Amazon you can buy the same Pampers Diapers 240 count for $41.95, or $0.17 a diaper. Still comes out to $520 a year but is a little closer. Have to decide if the TIME of washing the diapers (and spending money on detergent and water) is worth the extra $180 difference. And it would be less because of the cost of cleaning materials.

    P.S. Mom's that are registered with Amazon get free shipping on diapers!

    Also, I am not a mom or a dad. So my opinion might not be worth anything.

    Stephen Wagner, Facebook friend.

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    1. Yes, Stephen, all of my Fuzzibunz diapers were actually purchased for me from Amazon. We decided to register there since a 12-pack was $200. So there are cheaper ways to do both! But yes, you have to decide if saving $320 over the course of one year is worth it. Of course, babies aren't out of diapers after one year, so you end up saving way more. I'll eventually talk about what extra "time" it takes to deal with cloth diapers. Every couple just has to do what works best for them! Thanks for reading!

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  2. In a future post will you also talk about any negative experiences you've had with these too? I know the good outweighs the bad for most people, but I've had friends who have invested the money in cloth diapers and been really disappointed and given up after 10 months. This was mainly due to a lot of leaking and their frequent traveling, which doesn't go well with needing to be near to a washer/dryer at all times. I myself used to nanny for a boy with cloth diapers and ended my day with SO much pee on my shirt and that really made me re-think my wanting to cloth diaper my own kids one day. I'd love to hear your thoughts! -Caroline Cody

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    1. Yes, the leaking thing is a tricky issue! I will definitely talk about some things like that in the future. Most negative experiences I've had have just fixed themselves over time though. It's a learning process for sure! Thanks for commenting!

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    2. if the diapers leaked that much, sounds to me like there were either size problems or the diapers were in need of a stripping. I've been using cloth (a mix of brands) for about 5 months now, and I travel with the baby 3-4 days a month and have only ever had leakage issues when I've left her in her diaper too long or had her diapers set on the wrong size. Travelling with them isn't difficult as long as you have access to a washing machine, and there isn't any place I know of that doesn't have a laundromat somewhere.

      And the laundry soap thing isn't an issue either, as long as you wash everything in diaper safe detergent. :)

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  3. As a momma who doesn't have money growing on trees I highly enjoy having cloth diapers to last for our next babies, and at the convenience of my fingertips (really!) whenever I need them. We have been using Fuzzibunz with Norah since her umbilical cord fell, we love it. I know there are plenty of brands out there (some even from Portland!), but I've found Fuzzibunz to be the best ones and they are SO CUTE. I have friends who have used them for YEARS and love it. Even my friends who do not use cloth diapers look at them and tell me that they really are the best cloth diaper out there! So I love this! Thanks for posting on it, Claire! ;)

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    Replies
    1. They are SO cute on their little butts, aren't they?!

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