Cloth Diaper Ladies--How did you bring it up with your DH?

Ready2006 · February 2010

I don't think mine would be opposed at all, but I think he'd be really surprised to know it's something I'm thinking about.

Diaper Lab isn't that far, so I think both of us would feel good making a decision after going and seeing what they offer and how it works exactly now a days.

He's going to the the primary caretaker after maternity leave (he will be scaling back to part time, and my work and travel schedule isn't really flexible) so it definitely would have to be something we both really believe in.

Any good sources on cost savings? Environmental benefits? He's an engineer, so strong, fact-based arguments are a necessity. ;-)

TIA!

Qmommy · February 2010

It was just something that we both automatically wanted. I don't really know how I brought it up. Just say, "I was thinking about using cloth diapers. What do you think? There's a place we could check out to see if this is something we can do."

Ready2006 · February 2010

He probably thinking of the old fashioned ones with pins, etc, and just assumes it would be a total bear--he has no info at all on this. He's open minded about things, but I just think he has a lot of incorrect assumptions (difficulty, messiness, etc) that I'll need to combat.

smorzandoj · February 2010

I don't remember. But he has no choice anyway.

Qmommy · February 2010

show him bum genius diapers

teamsweet · February 2010

I just told him that was what I wanted to use - and since he knew about how many diapers are taking up landfill space, he was totally on board.

But you could bring up other arguments too - no chemicals on baby's skin, can be cheaper, etc.

jenick · February 2010

Sorry, I'm no help.... I said early on that I wanted to CD and he said, "Ok".

If you look up 'cost saving with CDing' you will come up with some good info to share. Other people have already figured out the cost savings...

MWoodside · February 2010

My DH thought I'd lost my mind when I brought it up initially. He literally said that. He's come around, somewhat. At least enough to be on board with buying them & changing them. He won't wash them & that's fine w/ me.

I'd recommend just telling him you'd like to sign you both up for a class so you can make an informed decision on it together. We did one yesterday. It really overwhelmed DH b/c of all the lingo & types & brands of diapers available, but he trusts me to chose what to start w/ based on all the research I've done. Initially I said we'd do a trial period while I'm on leave for 12 weeks, but in my mind I am firm that we will continue to CD.

This is a blog one of the Eco-Friendly Family girls does, it's awesome for a lot of things, but especially CD info: https://theecofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/

The 3 main benefits from my perspective are: baby health (it's chemical free unlike disposables), economical & eco-friendly.

IrishBrideND · February 2010

He really embraced it once I laid out all the benifits. Then when he saw what cloth diapers nowadays are like (esp pockets and AIOs) he completely jumped on the band wagon.

avada_kedavra · February 2010

smorzandoj:
I don't remember. But he has no choice anyway.

^^^this.

dh is scared to cd, as his dad once pinned him TO his diaper. i have reassured him that we no longer have pins, but we are using prefolds. his only request is that we get a sprayer for over the toilet.

Mrs.B6302007 · February 2010

Mr B wasn't surprised that I wanted to do cloth since I'm kind of a "granola" when it comes to my reproductive health anyway (TCOYF, Divacup, etc). I just showed him the rump-a-rooz I was considering and he said "sounds good." He did want to know if we would have a box of disposables on hand for when the baby's sick and such. I guess since we're both older, we remember our siblings being in cloth diapers so it didn't seem to be that big of a deal to consider cloth. He was surprised to see how far cloth diapers have come vs. just traditional pinning.

ETA: Some helpful sites I've found

https://allaboutclothdiapers.com/

https://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/

Dutchlish918 · February 2010

IrishBrideND:
He really embraced it once I laid out all the benifits. Then when he saw what cloth diapers nowadays are like (esp pockets and AIOs) he completely jumped on the band wagon.

This. My DH was terrified initially because he was thinking of the old ones you secure with pins. Once he saw the bumGenius diapers that I wanted he was totally sold.

We both love them now, for different "green" reasons. I like the fact that we're not filling up landfills and my hubs loves the savings.

Good luck!

ColieJ · February 2010

I just told him 5 minutes ago

"baby, are you going to support me in using cloth diapers?"

His response: "what for the baby?"

Me: "yeah for the baby, what did you think I wanted YOU to wear cloth diapers?"

Him: "Any benefits besides cost?"

Me; "our baby's diapers/waste won't spend an eternity inside a landfill!"

Him: "okay"

EmmaRain · February 2010

When I first mentioned it to DH, I wanted to use BumGenius 3.0 One Size, which means the diaper adjusts to fit from around 7/8 lbs up through potty training. Dh had some reservations about the sheer number of diapers we would be washing and whether we would be disciplined enough to keep up with laundry. The cost savings and environment benefits were enough for him to be on board with it, though. THEN... DH and I found the new Flip diapers. They are made by the same people. The difference is that you wash the inserts and put them back into the wipeable diaper cover. When DH saw those, he was instantly sold. You still wash the diaper covers, but you can use the same cover until it gets dirty.

If you're interested in those, go to cottonbabies.com and click on Flip system. We bought 5 covers and 24 stay dry inserts (enough to last the entire time she wears diapers) for $150. It came with a free pack of disposable inserts and shipping is free, too. With the BumGenius 3.0's we would've had to buy 20+ diapers, which would have been more than twice the price.

Here's a cost calculator that lets you type in whatever cloth diapers you decide on to see a comparison between cloth and disposables. https://www.diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp

If you're interested in the Flip system, here are some links about it with reviews.

https://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=139&products_id=2220

https://allaboutclothdiapers.com/i-love-the-new-flip-cloth-diapers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62SCA67lEz4

EmmaRain · February 2010

I also meant to mention above that Dh and I are both very analytical. We use Excel spreadsheets and charts to make most of our major decisions, so we did the same with cloth diapers. It sounds like your Dh might be this way too.

We discovered that they biggest key to keeping costs down is to:

1. Get diapers that adjust so you aren't buying different sizes of diapers, inserts, or covers. The prefolds and covers tend to be your cheapest option, but we couldn't find any that adjusted well enough to fit our child the entire time she wears diapers. The BumGenius 3.0 and Flip system were the only ones we liked that adjust to fit all sizes and were rated highly by almost everyone.

2. Find one kind you like and stick to it. I know a lot of people who get into the cuteness of cloth diapering and buy tons of different brands and any cute diaper they find on etsy. Nothing is wrong with this, but we wanted to streamline our costs and our laundry procedures. To me, having more than a couple of different kinds of diapers and inserts is overwhelming.

Hope this helps!

Ready2006 · February 2010

Thanks, ladies! I remember my Dad (also an engineer) saying a couple years ago about my friend "she's BFing and cloth diapering?! That's insane!" and I think DH has the same mistake impression. When DH (and Dad, too) see the options they have today, I'm sure they'll feel differently.

Emma, you and your husband think just like DH! I love the look of the Flip system, and I think DH will, too. And I love that they have disposable liners--we will likely be doing an in-home daycare 2 or 3 days a week, so it would be much easier to get them on board with a disposable insert. Thank you, thank you!

EmmaRain · February 2010

Glad to help! You might also mention to your DH that if you guys absolutely hate cloth diapering, you can sell them back just about anywhere. There is a high demand for gently used cloth diapers. Cottonbabies has a "growing up cloth" program where they'll buy back your diapers here: https://www.cottonbabies.com/index.php?cPath=137 . I'm just adding that since engineers always need a back-up plan for worst case scenarios!

Also, I haven't tried the disposable liners in the Flip yet. I've heard good things about them, but I'm pretty sure they aren't meant for every day use but more for day trips or places where you can't use cloth. I think your in-home daycare will probably like using the cloth liners, especially if your baby is breastfed. When they're on breastmilk, you just roll up the cloth liner, poop and all, and toss it into the diaper pail. Breastmilk waste is water soluble, so it washes right out in the washing machine.

Good luck!

TiaTia · February 2010

I brought up all of those good points plus a few more.

I learned a lot from a Pregtastic Podcast episode, where the lady who started Happy Heiny's was on to explain the benefits of CD.

She mentioned that CD babies don't get diaper rash as often.

The same chemicals in tampons back when TSS was more of a concern are STILL in diapers.

We technically aren;'t supposed to be throwing human waste into the garbage anyway (another environmental plus).

Another plus is that they now make diaper liners for when LO is on solids, so you can "wipe up" the solids similarly as you would with a disposable and flush it down the toilet. The liners are 100% biodegrable.

My DH was with me at a store that carries many types of CDs. All this time he had thought I meant the cloth diapers that you would have to "pin" and "cover" (I want to use the Bum Genius 3.0). When he saw that the CD I was thinking of "looked" and "worked" like a "regular diaper", he looked visibly relieved,

Also, I reassured him that we didn't have to use clothe diapers exclusively. We could use disposable for when we go out, or if some one was caring for our LO who isn;t comfortable with CD. I want him to try it out, and if he still isn't convinced and he's doing diaper duty because I'm not around, then he can use disposables.

I think you should check out that podcast. Yes, she talks about her own product, but I think it gives a good overview on CDing in general.

happy78 · February 2010

I have also heard that since children get "feedback" when they wet in a cloth diaper they are quicker to potty train. ?This is what sold my DH on cloth diapering. ?It worked for us, our son was trained by 26 months, even overnight. ?We use a diaper service for pre-folds, so we also didn't have to worry about any laundry. ?Just throw the used diaper in the bag and leave it on the porch once a week. ?The "diaper fairy" dropped of the clean ones the same day. ?

lily225 · February 2010

I brought it up a little with our first, not really thinking much about it. He said no.

I looked into it more with our second while I was pregnant and looked at how much money we could save and that convinced him to at least try it out. He's had no problems with it since we started and loves how much money we save.

Mrs.B6302007 · February 2010

Another good CD website

https://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/NewbornDiapering.htm

vhcoleman09 · February 2010

Mrs.B6302007:

Another good CD website

https://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/NewbornDiapering.htm

I was just about to post this. I don't remember whether DH or I brought up cloth diapering, but it fits with us, so we were both on board. We went to pinstripes and polkadots for a cloth diapering class and that really sealed the deal for us. We had no idea of all the available options. We're also going with the bumgenius 3.0 AIO diapers. We really liked them and they've gotten nothing but great reviews.

pixy_stix · February 2010

I said, "Oh, btw, we're going to cloth diaper. It'll be cheaper." :op He can't really argue now since I have our stash for a good 3 months (up through small), and it was all purchased for ~$100. He priced sposies the other day and about had a heart attack.

KeepingItLowKey · February 2010

My husband was the one who really wanted to do them... he does almost all the changes and washes/hangs them all, so I'm okay with that!

Ready2006 · February 2010

I just did a bunch of research today with the sources you ladies gave me and I think this will be WAY easier than I thought.

And I have to say, maybe I'm a beebee Knot-style for saying this, but cloth diapers are WAAAAAY cuter. Heehe.

pixy_stix · February 2010

ready - if you have any questions the EFF board is super helpful.

Ready2006 · February 2010

pixy_stix:
ready - if you have any questions the EFF board is super helpful.

Great to know--I hadn't even noticed that link before. There's a store that sells just cloth diapers nearby so I plan to check it out next month and I'm sure I'll have a billion questions after!

jacquelinethorne · February 2010

I figured up the cost of disposable diapering one child for a year and the cost of buying a good supply of cloth diapers before I brought it up to DH. The savings can be quite drastic and we'll have 2 in diapers, so it will make a big difference for us. I also brought up how much healthier cloth diapering is for baby's skin. DS2 is very prone to diaper rash in disposables and putting him in cloth has made all of the difference in the world for his little hieney.

jacquelinethorne · February 2010

MWoodside:
My DH thought I'd lost my mind when I brought it up initially. He literally said that. He's come around, somewhat. At least enough to be on board with buying them & changing them. He won't wash them & that's fine w/ me.
I'd recommend just telling him you'd like to sign you both up for a class so you can make an informed decision on it together. We did one yesterday. It really overwhelmed DH b/c of all the lingo & types & brands of diapers available, but he trusts me to chose what to start w/ based on all the research I've done. Initially I said we'd do a trial period while I'm on leave for 12 weeks, but in my mind I am firm that we will continue to CD.
This is a blog one of the Eco-Friendly Family girls does, it's awesome for a lot of things, but especially CD info: https://theecofriendlyfamily.blogspot.com/
The 3 main benefits from my perspective are: baby health (it's chemical free unlike disposables), economical & eco-friendly.

That's kind of how my DH's attitude was toward CDing starting out. He knew I was going to do it regardless of whether he was on board or not so he went along with it. I'm home with the kids most days, so I change the bulk of dirty diapers anyway. In the beginning he would leave dirty diapers on the edge of the bathtub for me to clean out. I bought a diaper sprayer a few weeks ago and after seeing how convenient using it is, I told him there's no reason he can't spray the diapers out when he changes them. Sure enough, I came home from running an errand and he had taken care of the dirty diaper and put it in the pail. Then just a few days ago I guess he started feeling bad for me going down to the basement to wash and dry the diapers and suddenly he's volunteering to help with that part as well. So now it looks like he's totally on board with it and has even asked me to order more of the two kinds of diapers he really likes! I think for lots of men, if it's something they haven't considered before, they think it's gross and old fashioned until they see how convenient, earth friendly and cost effective it can be.

jacquelinethorne · February 2010

EmmaRain:
When I first mentioned it to DH, I wanted to use BumGenius 3.0 One Size, which means the diaper adjusts to fit from around 7/8 lbs up through potty training. Dh had some reservations about the sheer number of diapers we would be washing and whether we would be disciplined enough to keep up with laundry. The cost savings and environment benefits were enough for him to be on board with it, though. THEN... DH and I found the new Flip diapers. They are made by the same people. The difference is that you wash the inserts and put them back into the wipeable diaper cover. When DH saw those, he was instantly sold. You still wash the diaper covers, but you can use the same cover until it gets dirty.

If you're interested in those, go to cottonbabies.com and click on Flip system. We bought 5 covers and 24 stay dry inserts (enough to last the entire time she wears diapers) for $150. It came with a free pack of disposable inserts and shipping is free, too. With the BumGenius 3.0's we would've had to buy 20+ diapers, which would have been more than twice the price.

Here's a cost calculator that lets you type in whatever cloth diapers you decide on to see a comparison between cloth and disposables. https://www.diaperpin.com/calculator/calculator.asp

If you're interested in the Flip system, here are some links about it with reviews.

https://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=139&products_id=2220

https://allaboutclothdiapers.com/i-love-the-new-flip-cloth-diapers/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62SCA67lEz4

We're really happy with our Flips so far. They're really handy and easy to use and DS2 seems to be really comfortable in them. We used them with the disposable inserts while traveling last weekend and were really happy with them.

BelleIsa · February 2010

DH was on board from the beginning, but we're both kind of granola that way.

We bought this kit from Jillian's Drawers: https://www.jilliansdrawers.com/products/clothdiapers/packagedeals/bummisorganiccottondiaperingkit

I'll probably buy more of the pre-fold insert because I've heard that 24 won't be enough for a newborn...

Ready2006 · February 2010

I brought it up last night and DH was SOOOO easy. Haha. He said :yeah, I figured we'd look into that". We're going to go to the Diaper Lab workshop in April--that should be really helpful.

earthycrunchymama · February 2010

Ready2006:
I don't think mine would be opposed at all, but I think he'd be really surprised to know it's something I'm thinking about.
Diaper Lab isn't that far, so I think both of us would feel good making a decision after going and seeing what they offer and how it works exactly now a days.
He's going to the the primary caretaker after maternity leave (he will be scaling back to part time, and my work and travel schedule isn't really flexible) so it definitely would have to be something we both really believe in.
Any good sources on cost savings? Environmental benefits? He's an engineer, so strong, fact-based arguments are a necessity. ;-)
TIA!

oh I've been to Diaper Lab several times!!! it's right down the street from me!

what I did was go there, find a diaper I liked... buy ONE. bring it home. and then SHOW him how cool they were!!! and I researched the costs/savings of CD vs disposable so I knew the facts when I approached the topic. Wink

He thought it was cool - better then the ones he was used to (with the pins) and money talks!!!!

So Diaper Lab has workshops to show you all their products and teach you the care of them. I signed us up for next weekends! He's not thrilled about sitting around looking at Diapers (Diapers are MY job he claims - playing is his- LOL). but there is food involved so he's coming. Wink

For Cost Savings - see the link in my sig to a topic the other day where I posted stuff. Geeked

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