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Cloth Diapering
OurJellybean
member
Diapering service vs DIY?
OurJellybean
member
Hi, im leaning towards cloth diapering because everything I have read and heard makes it seem like the logical choice, enviromentally, healthy wise and cost wise. Im just overwhelmed by the idea of doing laundry every second day and dealing with all the poopy diapers... and buying all the diapers! so many kinds!! I have looked into diaper service and its about $130 a month which is still less than disposables but definitly more than if u were to DIY it. Im wondering what you all are doing and why? Thanks!
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Re: Diapering service vs DIY?
if you use a service you'll probably be limited to just prefolds and from what I've heard most require you to buy your own covers and you'll have to wash those.
and while $130 a month might still be less than disposables, it'd be a heck of alot cheaper over time to just wash them yourself.
I DIY, for many reasons. For one, there were no local diaper services in my area. For another, my understanding is your service options are limited to prefolds only, and I wanted to try other types of diapers. And I would have no control over what types of detergent or washing regimes they used. The $ factor also kind of negates the reason to CD for cost savings.
Newborn poop (BF or FF)is water soluble, so you don't really have to "deal with them". You just throw them in the diaper pail and they wash away. You have many options for dealing with poo once solids are introduced.
Washing every other day is just another load of laundry. You're already going to be adding baby laundry to the mix, so what's another load of colorful diapers? A lot of people on here report that they hate doing regular laundry, but love doing CD laundry.
There are a lot of diaper types and brands, but I urge you to take your time and figure out what you might want. You can buy a small stash of used diapers, or try a diaper trial to see what works for you. It took me a couple of months of lurking before I felt confident enough to start a stash.
GL and keep asking questions.
Most, if not all, of the mamas on this board do it themselves. Diaper services are expensive and one of the big reasons to CD is to cut costs. It also limits you to solely prefolds and covers. While I like prefolds, I don't use them all the time and I prefer having a variety. Also, diaper services use harsh detergents and bleach (at least I believe so, don't quote me on that...) and can cause some major skin irritation for LOs.
It is overwhelming at first, so you may want to consider doing a diaper trial (we did one from Jillian's Drawers when we switched) and/or visit a local CD store and see if they have any classes on CDing and the different types. CDs aren't one size/brand fits all, but then again, neither are sposies.
As far as laundry goes, you'll be doing more laundry regardless with a LO. It's really not that big a deal either- it's ok to let the diapers sit in the washer before switching them over to the dryer or hanging them and it's ok for them to sit in the dryer (once dry of course) before folding them. You don't have to stay by the washer all day long
And poop happens- you'll have to deal with it no matter what kind of diapers you use but we have had a lot fewer blowouts with CDs than we did with sposies. You'll get it on you at some point, but you just wash it off, no big deal.
I'll be honest, there is a learning curve, but you'll figure it out very quickly. CDs are so much easier than people think, and I used to be one of those people. Keep asking questions as they come up, also check the FAQs at the top of the board if you haven't already. Sorry this is so long!!!!
I DIY because:
1. Diaper service was an expense that I just didn't want to add it...I should be saving money with CDing was my thought!
2. The services in my area do not use all green chemicals...kinda defeats one of the reasons I am CDing in the first place.
But these are just my thoughts.
And you'd be suprised how easy CD laundry is. Dump and do cold wash. Leave. Return and add detergent, turn on wash to hot/cold and 2nd rinse. Leave. Return and move inserts and prefolds to dryer, hang covers and shells. Leave. Return to collect dry and clean diapers
$130/month is crazy expensive for diapers, IMO. You could easily use disposables for cheaper than that.
If you have the money to spend, by all means, get the service, but laundry is a piece of cake.
This...when we used disposables, I didn't pay anywhere near $130/month for two in diapers! Get a subscription to Amazon Mom, it definitely pays off...also, the diaper laundry isn't that bad and you deal with poopy diapers regardless! Best of luck
ETA: Diaper laundry is so cute! Plus, we don't have any diaper services around us (that I know of), and it uses way too many chemicals for my liking.
Kind of repeating what others say.
1. $130 a month is a lot.
2. Diaper service limits you to prefolds and covers (you still buy the covers). While I loved prefolds, some people hate them.
3. EBF and EFF poop is water soluble and can just be thrown in the laundry.
4. How often will they do a pick up? Is it only once a week? Where will you store the dirties between pick ups?
Maybe you can get a diaper service for 1 month if it will help to ease your mind. During that time test out a few different types of diapers so that you can decide what you like and begin to build your own stash.
I know it seems overwhelming at first, but for most people it gets easier and just becomes a simple and natural thing to do.
Good luck and keep asking questions!
A good friend of mine who encouraged me to CD did a laundry service for the first month and found it to be a waste of money. She compared it to buying the pre-grated cheese at the grocery store. Sure, it's convenient, but is it really worth your money to have someone grate your cheese for you?
For some people, the answer is yes and that's just fine. But for most, the answer is no.
Think of the cheese!
Oscar born October 2011
Miscarriage at 8 weeks (August 2013)
DD due September 1, 2014
Well, I am using a diaper service right now for only one reason.....it was a gift from friends for the first 2 months after we had baby. My daughter is only 3 weeks old! There are things I like about it, and things I don't....
Things I like......it is easy.....I just put the diapers out on the porch, and all new ones appear like magic! The prefolds fit better on my little bitty girl....the AIOs I bought are super big on her and aren't really an option right now. I know this newborn stage will be over in a flash, so it doesn't bother me too much to use the service prefolds during this short period.
Things I don't like.....I am already doing diaper laundry...because we are using cloth wipes, and washing the covers, when needed. That isn't a big deal, so i don't think it will be an issue when we start doing our own laundry.
The main thing I don't like....is they only wash THEIR diapers...so if I use one of my fitteds, or another brand....I have to wash that myself..it feels limiting....
Good luck.......