- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
February 2011 Moms
EmilyStL
member
Cloth diapers--please help me decide!
EmilyStL
member
So, back when I first found out I was pregnant, I decided I wanted to use Bum Genius diapers, and I told my mom and showed her the pics online. She said she thinks they are too expensive (like $18 each or something?) but that she would love to get me diaper service for the first 3 months as a gift.
According to the diaper service website, the cost for the first 3 months is $222. If you continue to use the service til your child is 24months (IF they are toilet trained by then!) the cost is estimated at $1734.
A 12-pack of Bum Genius diapers is $203.40; plus I would need to take into account higher bills for laundry detergent and water, as well as time and energy it would take to launder the diapers daily...I'm going to be working full time.
Any thoughts/suggestions? If I decide on the Bum Genius, is it rude to ask my mom if she'd be willing to to pay for a 12 pack instead of for the diaper service? She was gung-ho about me using CD, just though the Bum Genius were too expensive.
Also, I don't know what we're going to do about childcare yet--we're thinking we're going to be able to work it out so we can do a combo of switching off between the two of us and having our moms help out in the gaps--but I'm thinking if she ends up going to a daycare center, they would probably be cool with the BG, but would not go for the prefolds that the diaper service uses. Anybody have experience with this?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Cloth diapers--please help me decide!
Diaper services typically aren't *that* much cheaper than disposable in the long run. You can get more bang for your buck if you wash yourself. Also, you are correct about daycares being much more open to a BG than prefold. You can typically wait for sales and get BG for even cheaper than the $18.
I would recommend not investing solely in one type of diaper till you've tried out a few. I've also noticed that as LO has grown, our preferences have changed.
We also plan to cloth diaper and, speaking as someone with no experience, I think it's a much better deal than the service if you can handle washing them yourself (which doesn't have to be hard. My husband was worried about it, but I have also purchased some flushable liners--you put one in the diaper and so when there are solids you just lift out the solid-filled liner and flush, then toss the diaper in the bin. Easier to clean).
We are also doing all-in-ones and there are a variety of different brands--not just Bum Genius. If you save coupons or wait for sales, you can end up saving a lot and then you'll have them. Or check your local craigslist--I found some going for $7. (or you can sell yours when you're done with them and recoup a little).
Also, the 12 diapers in a pack will not even last you one day with a newborn. We currently have 23 of a variety of different styles (I agree with Carissa that you have to see what you and your baby like before you commit to one kind) and I would like to get maybe 5 more to start, so we don't have to do laundry every day. Plus, some diapers are sized. BumGenius makes both sized and one-size diapers. If you're getting sized, keep in mind you'll have to buy bigger sizes as the baby grows. I have a handful of (small) sized diapers to start and the rest one size.
<a href="http://www.thenest.com/?utm_source=ticker&utm_medium=HTML&utm_campaign=tickers" title="D
You will spend MUCH less on a huge stash of CD than you would a service for 2 years. Or more. Probably more like 3 years, in most cases.
Also, as I am now experiencing, you can use the BGs for a 2nd child! It is really a great investment.
I also agree that 12 will not even be enough. I would at least double that.
I do not think it would be rude to tell your mom that. Just tell her that is the direction you have decided to go. If she doesn't want to pay for it, then so be it, but you are the one diapering your child!
While I have not done cding on a newborn, I'm with the rest of the moms in saying you will need more. I do however have some experience from diapering a toddler and this is my stash...
I have 14 pocket diapers OS (10 kawaii (love em), 2 bg (okay), and 2 ms (sooo soft and need some overnights too)
10 AIO by Ozocozy (toddler sized)
10 fitted by Ozocozy (toddler sized)
2 thirsties duo covers OS (need atleast two more)
(with all my diapers I have over 20 mf inserts which I often double up)
These numbers allow me to go two days with zero diaper laundry and focus on day 3 to wash and dry 1.5 times without running out. I can pick up 10 of the kawaii for around $75 and have found that I love them with my very heavy wetter. I would definately do a variety at first, but maybe the dozen of the bgs to start with. I would ask mom to put her $222 towards the bgs so that she will be buying you a better value that could be used for another child or sold later on. (PS when baby goes to solids, the toilet sprayers rock to clean up the solid messes.) I hope this helps you. Let us know what happens.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. There are a couple stores nearby that sell cloth diapers and I really like the idea of the "trial run" package. I've gotten the advice here and elsewhere to experiment with different brands before committing to one. I am just pretty sure I'll want some sort of pocket style as opposed to prefolds because of the possibility of daycare. And, completely gotcha on needing more than 12. So double that would be a good amount?
The more I think about it the more the diaper service does seem like a waste of money. If I wanted to CD for the first 3 months that my mom offered to pay for, and then switch to disposables it might make more sense, but that's not what I want to do.
Lots of good info in this thread!
Sounds like you've gotten a ton of great advice, and those of us who are toying with the cloth diapering idea got some too!
We used disposables with my son, but are seriously considering cloth for baby girl. I have talked to several CD moms and I've had a few suggest this ebay seller. These are supposedly very similar to BGs, but at a fraction of the cost. The seller is rated very highly. Check it out:
https://cgi.ebay.com/10-SUNBABY-3-0-ONE-SIZE-SNAPS-CLOTH-DIAPERS-10-INSERTS-/250687912946?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5e29fbf2#ht_2387wt_907
Sunbaby (as someone posted) are super cheap diapers coming out of china. I would personally stick with the name brands that are monitored by the moms in the USA who created and designed them.
bumGenius is great, but will be really bulky on a newborn - so make sure you get some newborn diapers too. I like https://www.cutiepoopsandbottoms.com They are super helpful!
Also - get a good laundry detergent for Cloth Diapers. RockinGreen is not worth the hype. I use Eco Sprout cloth diaper detergent and love it!