Cloth Diapers Review: Guest Post!

Guest post! From someone who still has a baby! *sob* Ahem. Meet my super-girl friend Karen.

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I am a cloth diapering mom. No, I’m not a crunchy environmentalist and my child does not have sensitive skin… I have a full time job, a house, a husband, a child, and a dog to care for... And I am willing to do whatever I can to save money. I did some research before my kiddo was born and found a comprehensive diaper calculator at www.punkinbutt.com. It showed disposables vs. cloth as $2300 vs. $800 over the course of 2 ½ years. And since with each additional child, the savings grow exponentially, I was pretty much sold.

Cloth diapers are not what they used to be. It's not like the old days with folding flats in thirds, diaper pins, and plastic pants. Those things are still around but there is no way I would’ve cloth diapered if that’s all there was. The ones I use are much more like the disposables. For the majority of my stash, the diaper and the cover are all in one piece and they fasten with Velcro or snaps. Some require covers but I can chose ones that pull on like pants or ones that go on like the diaper. I have every color of the rainbow. Some are size specific and some will grow with my child. The possibilities are endless….

I was new to the whole thing so I did a lot of experimenting at first. I needed to see what would work for us and what wouldn’t. I found that Fuzzi Bunz One-Size work for us the majority of the time. At night, however, they leak (just not enough absorbency for that length of time), so we’ve been using disposables while we feel out what will work.

Happybottomus, a local cloth diaper and natural baby store in the Kansas City area, has been the source of the majority of my knowledge, as well as my diapers and accessories. They are FABULOUS and have the best customer service of any store I’ve ever patronized. Any questions or problems I have, they are right there to help me out.

When we began our search for an overnight diaper, the owner at Happybottomus recommended we try Good Mama’s diapers with a Thirsty’s Duo Wrap as a cover. These worked great except the elastic on the covers were causing little irritations on my little one’s legs if she wore them for more than a few hours at a time. When I visited the store the next time, I explained my problem. After some brainstorming the owner not only suggested two alternative covers - a Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece and a Woollybottoms Hybrid Soaker.

The Thirsty’s Duo Wrap is easy to use and works well. We have NO night time leaks, it’s easy to wash, and dries very quickly when laid flat to dry. The only problem we run into is the irritations on my kiddo’s hammy thighs. We tried adjusting the fit but it would’ve leaked if we had it any looser. We still use it, just for shorter periods of time.

The Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece works just as well as and is the simplest to care for: It’s just washed and dried it with the rest of the diapers. We have no night time leaks but a little moisture has been known to seep out during our first nursing session of the morning… but with my little wiggle worm and a 9-10 hour old diaper, I am not displeased.

The Woollybottoms Hybrid Soaker works well, too. It pulls on & off like a pair of fluffy shorts and I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort and leak protection. It was also surprisingly easy to care for. I just soak it in a special water solution every 10-14 days or so (unless it is visibly soiled) and then lay it flat to dry. Once it’s dry, I massage lanolin onto the inside surface. Although it sounds like a lot of work, it’s really not…. It is by far my favorite of the three.

Overall, I am pleased with my decision to cloth diaper. The amount of work that goes into it is minimal and all the different styles, colors, and designs make it so much fun. And since I still use disposables from time to time, I am extremely aware of the money I am saving by doing so.


*Happybottomus provided several diaper products for us to sample and review, worth about $50. We thank them for their generosity and guidance. If you live in the Kansas City area, visit their new location in Overland Park opening next week, by the Whole Foods store at 91st & Metcalf.