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Gracey_Manor Maid
member
cloth diaper/childcare question.(kind long...sorry!)
Gracey_Manor Maid
member
Good Morning ladies!
I am a lurker and don't post much but I have run into a strange situation and was wondering if any of you have dealt with this before.
My Dh and I decided early on for multiple reasons to go with cloth diapers. One of the main ones being his family has had allergic reactions to disposable diapers. This past week we went to a number of daycares (in home and centers) in our area as I will be going back to work part time when the baby is about 12 weeks old. I am only going to be working three days a week for four hours a day. But here is the problem. Of the facilities we visited two of them said we would be charged extra for sanitation if we use cloth diapers, one of them said they weren't sure as none of the children were CD babies and two places said flat out that they do not do cloth diapers and the baby would be in disposables while at school. Only one in-home place had no problem with them...but this place was kind of shady. I know it was licsensd but their was only one woman with 6 kids (3 of them babies) and they were all either sitting in front of the television or in their carseats. Plus her whole house smelled of cigarette smoke and there were ashtrays with butts everywhere outside. I don't know what to do! I'm hoping that the school we really like (the one which was unsure about their CD policy) will be able to tell us that it's fine. I'm not sure if this is normal or not but I guess I was just a little surprised at how everyone reacted. Most of them rolled their eyes and said "oh wait till the baby gets here...that will change real quick!"
Have any of you had trouble with this? How did you handle it?
TIA!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: cloth diaper/childcare question.(kind long...sorry!)
Pretty normal, sadly. You could try a few things - a lot of people are thinking of cloth diapers as prefolds only, and they're a tad intimidated. Perhaps get a pocket or AIO to show them how close to disposables cloth is now a days. that may sway the one that was unsure about doing cloth. Also, since your DH has a history of problems with sposies in his family, you could try seeing if you could get a pedi's note saying you need to do cloth. I think some people have done that to get DCP to use cloth diapers. Good luck!!
And I'd stay away from the shady place - if you already have reservations, there's probably a reason.
I'm actually planning on making the switch to cloth diapering. But before I really considered it, I talked with our daycare provider and she said she was fine with it and has had other kids with cloth diapers. We use an in home daycare, and he's there 4 days/week (with my mom the other day, who I can make use them
). A friend who uses cloth also uses an in home daycare who is fine with using them. I unfortunately don't have any experience with centers, but perhaps they are unfamiliar with them? If you are planning on using AIOs or ones that are just like a disposable, maybe you could show them how they work? I bet a lot of centers who do allow them do so because they had one mom who really inquired about it and pushed it a little, so if you find one you like, maybe you can be the one to get them started in that direction!
And that in home one you looked at that will use them sounds awful! We are really happy with DS going to an in home provider. You can find some really good ones, but that does not sound like one.
And finally, it can take a while to find a daycare you are happy with. So don't get discouraged, and don't be afraid to visit MANY. It is worth your time so that when you go back to work so you feel comfortable and happy with the situation.
check your state laws (?). the DCFS guidleline here said that daycare could use cloth.
the first dayare we went to said their rules stated they couldn't use. then we had DS in the same company just different locations and they were ok with cloth. when he finally got into the first place, i went back to talk to them about cloth. i showed them the diaper, i took a copy of DCFS guideline and when they said that their parent company said no cloth i told them that his current daycare (same company) used cloth. he is in cloth there now.
just do some more investigating. i've never heard of a sanitation fee. it's not like they are going to be washing or dunking them for you....
take an AIO with you when you go. don't even mention CDs unless you have one to show them because a lot of people still have the really old fashioned ones in mind. once they see the cute colors and velcro, it's a non-issue because the diapers are exactly the same. if they give you trouble/hesitation, tell them it is a medical necessity. i've used 3 different caregivers and none of them have had a problem with the diapers.
the only issue i had with a daycare center is they were required to place all poopy diapers within a plastic bag, even inside my wetbag. *shrug*
and if a place gives you shady vibes, cross them off your list.
For the life of me, I cannot imagine paying extra to CD at daycare. Ridiculous.
I lucked out I guess. Picked my daycare...decided to CD after the fact. Asked the director - she said yes they allow CDs.
Asked the teacher in her class...she was less enthusiastic: "Why do you want to CD?" Lol. I showed her the BG AIO deluxe and she was sold.
It's been a piece of cake and they've supported me 100%. They put the diapers in her wetbag and I take them home each day. Easy peasy.
This is what I was going to suggest. I've worked in MANY childcare facilities, and now run my own. I know from experience that many places tell you that they are not allowed to do something simply because they don't want to. If you bring the regulations to them, then you turn the tables on them. Also, if you really liked the places that are planning on charging a CD fee, I would contact your child care council (or whatever agency FL uses to regulate and oversee childcare centers). They may tell you that they cannot charge extra for that. IF that's the case, ask them to send it to you in writing, and bring that along with you (and the copy of the regulations) when you go to look again, or if you go to new places.
GL
OMG, I got the most patronizing "Well we have a lot of kids to tend to, it's not like we can spend a lot of extra time on just one child's diapers like you do at home." (desperately trying to keep my eyes from rolling out of my head) "Yes, I realize that, but I'm not asking for you to take extra time." GAHH!
That conversation actually happened at the center where DD is now - and where she wore CDs until potty training.
I only got them to agree to give them a try and see how it goes. The director had me be the one to "break the news" to the teacher - who looked a little panicked until I showed her the Bum Genius and told her a couple times how all she had to do was put it in the wetbag, nothing else. It's just like a disposable except you put in my bag not the trash.
Once they tried them, it was fine.