Why do YOU CD?

carolinakiwi · July 2011

This board has been invaluable to me. I wouldn't know even half of what I know about CDing brands if it weren't for you ladies.

But you've also caused me to spend more money after you rave about a brand or a print. ;-) If I could just stay off this board, I wouldn't be as tempted to buy more diapers. But buying more and this board are addicting!! :-)

Most of the time this board is a place to talk about stalkings and what everyone got, and cute fabrics and wool. But I just wanted to take it back old school and ask a basic question.

What are the reasons that you CD?

-cost (is it really cost effective though when we all buy the cute adorable, much needed ones)?

-cuteness factor?

-health reasons?

-environmental factor?

StellarStina26 · July 2011

I am cost and cuteness. My stash started being prefolds and covers because I needed to save money. Then I realized how cute they can be. I needed TT because everyone raved about their absorbency. I was willing to pay that much for an overnight issue... prefolds and inserts just weren't cutting it. Now that I have two... I eventually want more, but when I can afford it better. I don't want to wear out the two I have from too much use.

Alirebco · July 2011

For me, in order of importance:

Health reasons

Environment

Cuteness

Cost

ETA: I put cost last not because I don't care about the cost but because it's not as important as the others. For example, I use organic cotton and other natural fiber diapers only and while the bulk of my stash might be a little on the pricey side (Sbish), once I factor in resale value it doesn't matter as much.

I also think all cloth diapers are cute, even just prefolds or flats. I don't have many prints, just nice simple clean ones. I just really hate the look of paper diapers.

carolinakiwi · July 2011

StellarStina26:
I am cost and cuteness. My stash started being prefolds and covers because I needed to save money. Then I realized how cute they can be. I needed TT because everyone raved about their absorbency. I was willing to pay that much for an overnight issue... prefolds and inserts just weren't cutting it. Now that I have two... I eventually want more, but when I can afford it better. I don't want to wear out the two I have from too much use.

Yeah, I want a TT for night time too. But part of me doesn't want to put a TT on him at night b/c I want to save the cuteness of the print for daytime when we can all admire it and ooh and ahh over his bum. :-)

pixy_stix · July 2011

https://thebabyatemybrain.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/why-i-cloth-diaper/

I wrote it all out on my blog.

carolinakiwi · July 2011

pixy_stix:

https://thebabyatemybrain.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/why-i-cloth-diaper/

I wrote it all out on my blog.

Nice!!

GBCK · July 2011

cost.

I don't buy many adorable 'needed' ones because it really is about the $$ for us.

Even w/ a few of those, though, AND including the cost of extra laundry (yes, I calculated--there's a spreadsheet), our CDs have already paid for themselves, even if I never sell a one.

mah482 · July 2011

We're going to CD our LO because of the cost vs. sposies. The lack of nasty chemicals on our kiddo's backside is just an added bonus. Smile

xpedite · July 2011

cost. Even if I spent $1000 bucks on a cute stash it'll be a 1/3 of what disposables would cost me.

11kacey · July 2011

So I can feel superior to others...

Just kidding.. cost is the main reason, but honestly, I do not love the idea of the chemicals and stuff in disposables.

Dr.Loretta · July 2011

I don't think I can nail it down to one specific reason.

Cost was definitely an issue. Even DH, who was ambivalent about CDing, raves about how much $ we're saving vs disposables. I really don't have that many super cute diapers, at least until recently. And I've also sold off some of my stash, which made room (in the wallet and the baby's room) for new ones.

Cuteness is a minor factor. I do find myself trying to match CDs to outfits, and even DH has admitted to this, but I'm more of a function over form kinda gal.

Health reasons were also a minor factor. Sure, I'm all for fabric instead of paper and chemicals against my baby's privates, but it wasn't a driving factor

Environmental had something to do with it. I liked the fact that I could just wash and dry my diapers instead of throwing a giant garbage of diapers into the trash.

When it comes down to it, it was something different that I wanted to try, and there were a lot more options compared to when my mom CD'd my brother for a year. I wanted to see if I could do it, and to try some of the options out there to see what worked for DD. I can say that, when I use disposables during travel, I now hate it with a flaming passion.

kittycatg12 · July 2011

Ella used to get pretty bad rashes from disposables. We also didn't like how the gel from disposables would end up on her.

I also love them for cuteness.

jteneback · July 2011

#1 is just that I hate throwing stuff away. Ask my husband. I guess that would be considered environmental.

#2 is that sposies are gross and I don't want them on my baby. I did not fully realize this until after we used them when she was a newborn.

#3 is cuteness.

Cost - I'm not so sure that I'm saving money. I know I can sell them, blah blah, but it is such a PITA and the shipping costs kill you. So I'm not counting on the resale value as a justification for what I spend. I'm also going to bet I will buy at least some more diapers for #2, especially if it's a boy.

ejgballerina · July 2011

Mine is environmental factor. I don't know how much money I'm saving buying expensive fitteds and AI2s, but I do feel better than I'm not contributing to landfill waste.

MyBdayPresent · July 2011

Honestly, I really don't have a well thought out reason. I never researched pros and cons of CD vs. disposable. I just looked into it out of curiosity, the diapers were cute and it seemed easy enough.

Now, I CD because it makes a boring task and bothersome expense fun and interesting.

superned · July 2011

For me it's mostly the environment. I know there are environmental costs with CDs too (I do struggle with the amount of water it takes to wash them properly), but the physical act of throwing out so many disposable diapers is too much for me. DH and I recycle, reuse, and compost most waste so we only throw out about one 30 gallon trash bag a month for three people and two dogs (I would say a good deal of that is dog waste, unfortunately). Using disposables would at least triple that.

The second reason is cost. My eyes bulge out of my head when I walk down the diaper aisle at the grocery store! It was a lot of cost up-front, but I haven't spent money on diapers in months, so I think I'm finally making my money back.

I'm also concerned about the chemicals in disposable diapers and I cannot stand the way they smell. Ick.

Finally, I do love the cuteness!

veruca5839 · July 2011

For me it's mostly health (don't want those chemicals near my baby's bottom) and environmental. Cost helps, but isn't a reason why I decided to CD. Cuteness just keeps me coming back for more

carolinakiwi · July 2011

jteneback:

#1 is just that I hate throwing stuff away. Ask my husband. I guess that would be considered environmental.

#2 is that sposies are gross and I don't want them on my baby. I did not fully realize this until after we used them when she was a newborn.

#3 is cuteness.

Cost - I'm not so sure that I'm saving money. I know I can sell them, blah blah, but it is such a PITA and the shipping costs kill you. So I'm not counting on the resale value as a justification for what I spend. I'm also going to bet I will buy at least some more diapers for #2, especially if it's a boy.

For me it is a cost factor 1st. But also in a close 1st, is that I too hate throwing things away and I feel like I'm throwing money in the trash with disposables. So I guess environmental reasons is a very close 1st to cost.

Then my next reason is the cuteness of them. Even though sometimes he doesn't fit as loosely into shorts/pants as he would with a sposie, I like him in CD's because they're adorable!

DS does not seem to be bothered by sposies when we use them. And yes, we use them occasionally. ::gasp:: We always have a box of sposies available for church nursery or for the diaper bag or sometimes for grandma. But we go through them very slowly. DS does not get a rash with them and I've never had the gel get on his skin.

Back to the cost factor though - I agree with you. I look at it as a cost factor in the long run. I don't think that I'm really saving money right now with just one child in CD. But in the long run, if we can use these same diapers for a 2nd child, that's where the cost savings will come in.

I say that it's not necessarily a cost savings right now, b/c when we buy sposies, we buy the Target brand, and they're only $20 a box. A box would last just under a month. So I would guesstimate that we'd spend $30 a month on sposies. I estimated that if DS went until 3 years of age until PT/PL, then we would spend about $1000 on sposies. I know that by the time DS is done with diapers, I will easily have spent that much - if I haven't come close to it already (and I don't even have a big stash - it's pretty small compared to most others).

nickler · July 2011

Cost, environment, plus, I just love them! There are so many positives to CDing. They were the thing I was most excited to do once she got here - my mom was laughing at me bc I was more excited about the CDs than any of her cute clothes or anything else.

amberry · July 2011

I started researching CDs because of the cuteness factor. I was intrigued by the cost difference with CDs vs. sposies, especially since we want 3-4 kiddos. And since I SAH, it made even more sense to me to use CDs. With my research, I learned about the health and envrionmental issues, and those sealed the deal.

Now I'm focused on cuteness and cost though- which is a contradiction because the cute diapers are not as cost effective I have to keep reminding myself about reusing them with future LOs and/or resale value because I'm a sucker for a cute diaper.

carolinakiwi · July 2011

nickler:
Cost, environment, plus, I just love them! There are so many positives to CDing. They were the thing I was most excited to do once she got here - my mom was laughing at me bc I was more excited about the CDs than any of her cute clothes or anything else.

This was me exactly!!!

And I love to share my excitement of CD with anyone that will listen. I LOVE them!!!

norman25 · July 2011

Before this board was created, there were a lot of cd-related posts on the month boards. That got me curious and interested in trying it out to do something different.

I fell in loved and we've been exclusively CD'ing for a year. My reasons to never going back:

1. Shelling out $$ each week for sposies was sickening.

2. Health- We have never had a single diaper rash with CD. Every once in awhile, he gets red after being with grandma (who is not used to changing so frequently), but it clears up right away. We don't even own cream.

3. Environment. It is so gross to think about dirty diapers hanging out in the garbage. WTF was I ever thinking?? I do not miss taking out nasty, stinky, diaper garbages.

sarahtoledo · July 2011

I don't CD yet, but I want to because:

1. I hate hate HATE the idea of chemicals on skin. Our soap, toothpaste, shampoo, bug repellent, etc. are already as chemical-free as I can get.

2. Environment/waste: I'd hate to fill landfills with dirty disposable diapers.

3. Convenience? I don't like the idea of running to the store and/or trying to find space in my house for huge boxes of sposies.

3. Cuteness. I cringe when I see a pic of someone's new baby in plastic and paper (and chemicals!).

kms34 · July 2011

Cost is #1. We go pretty cheap and buy EUC and on sales. We have all pockets and some AI2's. Prefolds would have been cheaper but pockets with snaps are better for our family, daycare, etc.

Health and environment are tied for #2. I refuse to let my kid sit in chemicals all day and then throw a soiled diaper in the trash. The thought honestly makes me sick. DS has had to be in paper diapers twice for rashes in 2 years and I loathe it.

ManiacMcGee · July 2011

1. environment. Up until recently I bought everything used which helped this goal.

2. cost: buying used helped, but trying to find a nighttime diaper has definitely stretched the budget

3. cuteness

4. health: I don't really know anyone that has issues with sposies so this is just from stuff I've learned on the boards.

mommabear530 · July 2011

What got me interested in the first place was cost. I quit my job recently and needed to find ways to cut spending. Then after researching (and lurking on the board) the environmental and health reasons really became the driving factor to me, and the cost savings was just an added bonus. I'd constantly be telling DH "do you know how LONG sposies take to decompose?!" or "did you know some of the chemicals in sposies have been linked to asthma in lab rats?!" etc.

I remember the biggest revelation for me was when I realized that cloth diapers are REAL diapers, and we've all been so brainwashed by advertising to think that sposies are normal! We also use cloth wipes, and the first time I used one I thought, "Holy geez, my kid pee'd on himself, and I'm washing him off with soap, water, and a wash cloth. Why did this ever seem odd???"

I love the cute factor too, but it's also just an added bonus. His little bum just looks so adorable all fluffy and soft. And I know it has to be more comfortable for him than paper diapers. Can you imagine sitting in a diaper all day? I compare it to wearing a super absorbent pad. Not cool. And like PP said, I now can't stand to see other babies in sposies. Especially for professional pictures. It looks trashy. lol!

I also love the convenience. Out of diapers? Just throw them in the wash. No getting the kids out of the house to go to the store buy them.

unknownbliss · July 2011

kittycatg12:
Ella used to get pretty bad rashes from disposables. We also didn't like how the gel from disposables would end up on her.
I also love them for cuteness.

This. G is very allergic to disposables and her DR recommended we switch her to cloth once her rash cleared up (we were given what seemed like an entire pharmacy of stuff to put on her). She's been in cloth for about 2 months and she hasn't had one single rash. With disposables it was daily since she turned 1 month.

The cuteness is just a bonus

megstarwsu · July 2011

For us, it was the cost at first. It was such a big savings to switch from sposies to CDs. On top of that DD has pretty bad eczema and the sposies were making it worse. Now, I don't really care as much about the cost, even though it's still cheaper than sposies no matter what I spend! Now I'm more about the environmental factor and not wanting chemicals on DS's bum if I can help it. I HATE sposies and I can't wait for his rash to go away so I can get his cloth back on him. Especially since he's going to grow out of his NB stash soon.

kacelle · July 2011

I use cloth primarily for health reasons, although all of the things you listed did factor into my decision. DH is supportive because of cost and health factors.

Nature Lover · July 2011

1.) environemnt

2.) cute

3.) health

4.) cost.

Cost isn't really a factor for us except that I hate wasting money. I can't stand buying things that you just throw away - toilet paper, papertowels, garbage bags. I do it (although I keep threatening DH with switching to reusable cloth oilet bpaper andhe keeps threatening to divorce me if I do!). As some others have said, convenience is also a big deal. I would much rather washa few loads of alundrya week than go to teh store.

The environmental factor is for sure the biggest issue for me. CD versus sposies was never a debate I had. Sposies were not an option I considered.

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