Enlighten me: Cost of Newborn Stash
runlong3
member
I know there is a huge cost savings difference between using cloth diapers and sposies over time. However, the one area I'm stuck on is the newborn phase since they can't fit into OS diapers at that point (which is what we'll use on an older baby). How much did your newborn stash run, or is it even worth it?
I would much much rather not use prefolds or fitteds but I've looked at some of the pricing just for comparison.
Note: The cost factor isn't the end all be all here, I'm just trying to figure out the math for what we would go with.
From what I've read, OS diapers start fitting around 10 lbs. Newborn sposies (we'd go with Pampers Swaddlers) go up to 10 lbs. So about 4 weeks in each (rounding up to 30 days). Newborns go through 12-16 diapers/day, I'm low balling and going with 12 here. So 360 diaper changes.
On Amazon, a 240 pack of Swaddlers go for $42.90, or $0.18/diaper with some left over. Two packs would be $85.80. (Or if I really wait for sales/coupon I can get them for even less, i.e. 3 140 packs from diapers.com for $75 right now). (Add in 1 pack of size 1s for ~ $30 in case the OS still don't fit and it's right over $100.)
If I went with a set of 36 (washing every other day) Imagine Newborn AIOs at $8.95/diaper, that would amount to $322.20, or if I went super cheap and did Alva Newborns (though I haven't really read any reviews on them) they would total $162. Of course I could go with other AIOs, but the prices really start going up.
Even if I did prefolds and covers, which I'm not overly keen on, a dozen Imagine prefolds are $15 ($45/36) plus 6 covers at about $10 ($60) plus snappis come to $108.95.
I guess what I'm asking, is am I missing anything else I need to be factoring in? We would probably start with whichever wipes we're going to go with from the start so I'm not adding that cost in. Is a newborn cloth stash really worth it for only 4-6 weeks of use?
BFP 8.14.15 ~~ Due 4.22.16
Re: Enlighten me: Cost of Newborn Stash
Etta Jane and Claire Elaine are here! Born March 28, 2012.
my blog
What it's like to cloth diaper twins, Part I.
Cloth diapering twins, Part II.
I planned on using disposables until my daughter fit into one size but ended up finding a way to use cloth and still come close to what we would have spent on disposables:
we got 18 prefolds and 2 covers ~$40 - we only used these when we were absolutely out of all other diapers and still use them just for general baby cleanup/washcloths
found 4 lil joeys on super sale ~ $40
got 6 fuzzibunz xs on super sale (black friday) ~ $65
We had about 10 diaper changes a day and we did laundry every night and it was honestly NBD. By week two at home my 6.5lb daughter was fitting into our stash of 15 FuzziBunz perfect size small. I love the FB perfect size! She still fits in size small at 15 pounds. Half of our stash is FB perfect size and the other half is in one size dipes.
www.virginiakkent.blogspot.com
Resale. This works in two ways - you can buy used and/or you can sell your diapers when you are done with them. I bought my NB stash for $150 and sold it for $160.
Also, I think your costing is a bit too favorable towards disposables. It was a rare day that we only used 12 diapers with DD as a newborn. And you will likely use your nb stash for longer than 4 weeks. At 4 weeks old DD was in the 90th %-ile for height and weight. She did not fit into her OS until 6-7 weeks and we were still using some of the nb stuff beyond that.
We broke even at 3.5 weeks or so... We used them for the first two months and most of the prefolds/covers still fit. The pure and natural pockets still fit as well. I am using her OS diapers now as well.
Don't overlook the fact that the diapers can be sold or used for subsequent children! Any future kids we have will be diapered for free. Prefolds can be also used for burpcloths, naked bum time or for cleaning.
We had 4 Grovia AIOs
36 prefolds in assorted sizes
2 bummis xs super brites covers
1 small bummis super brite
2 small thirsties
2 thirsties size 1 duo wraps
3 kawaii pure and natural
ETA: we paid about $150, but I think that also included liners and 2 wetbags
Thanks for all the input ladies! Yeah, I really should double that disposable amount (~$150) instead.
I'm actually leaning towards cloth, I'm just trying to convince myself it's worth it!
BFP 8.14.15 ~~ Due 4.22.16
I bought BumGenius AIO's on clearance (size small, not newborn - now discontinued) - 5 at $10 each. $50 (fit for at least 5 months before I just stopped using them, but they still fit).
I bought prefolds (16) and kissaluv 0's (10) used, along with a few covers. (~$75?)
I resold some of the KL0, after using for 3 months. I still use the prefolds as inserts (trifold), burp cloths, and whatever else. Sold a couple covers.
I plan on having multiple children. I plan on buying more newborn diapers next time around, and selling what I won't use.
It's worth it to me.
DS #2 - 4/2/14
This made me think - lots of people do this...but I actually know some people who've purchased a shiny new one size stash and never ended up using it because it can be hard to pull the trigger with cloth once you've been using disposables for 2-3 months. So the momentum of starting cloth right away can be helpful, especially if you aren't 100% sure, plan to start daycare at about the same time that OS diapers start fitting, have some resistance from other caregivers, etc.
Our initial NB stash cost about $60. 30 NB PFs, 2 NB bummis superbrite covers, and 1 xs thirsties cover. We were gifted other NB/small sized diapers too, but we would have been fine with our initial stash.
FWIW, our LO didn't reach 10 pounds until 9 weeks and only fit into a few of her OS diapers. It wasn't until she was around 13 lbs and 14 weeks that I could put her in any diaper. We got 3 months out of our NB fitteds and PFs (she outgrew the NB bummis covers around 8 weeks) before transitioning into smalls/OS diapers.
Plus, our LO was an epic pooper. Sometimes we when through 3+ diapers during one change. 12 diapers/day is way too low of an estimate to me. NBs poop every hour and have to be changed whichever diaper you use.
I bought my newborn stash used, and sold it all. I think I made a profit off it because some of the diapers I fixed. I know I at least broke even on them.
CDing a newborn for 3 months for 0 cost? Win!
My DH is 100% opposed to using prefolds, so I did a lot of research to find rental options for fitteds, pockets or AIOs, and I think the two best deals I found were on Diaper Daisy (all fitteds) and Kissed by the Moon (your choice of several styles of pockets and AIOs). Diaper Daisy is $15/wk and Kissed by the Moon is $30 for the first month and $25 each month after (both require a deposit up front, but it is 100% refundable in cash, or 100% + a bonus if you choose store credit). I know I won?t be good about re-sale and we?re not sure we?ll have a 2nd LO, so this was the cheapest cost for us.
BFP #1: 10-25-11, MC: 11-1-11 @ 5w5d
BFP#2: 12-29-11, DS born September 2012
TFAS: July 2014, BFP#3: 12-29-14, EDD 9-9-15
I spent about $100 on newborn diapers. This did not save me any money... but we want another baby, and that one will be diapered for free.And then I can sell them - they should still be worth at least $50. Plus I lent them to a friend to get her hooked on cloth diapers.
I did fitteds and covers (GMD infant fitteds, thirsties and bummies covers). I bought used. Alva and Kawaii make inexpensive newborn pockets if you'd prefer that.
Natural Birth Board FAQs
Cloth Diaper Review Sheet
Don't forget about newborn rentals! My DH is 100% opposed to using prefolds, so I did a lot of research to find rental options for fitteds, pockets or AIOs, and I think the two best deals I found were on Diaper Daisy (all fitteds) and Kissed by the Moon (your choice of several styles of pockets and AIOs). Diaper Daisy is $15/wk and Kissed by the Moon is $30 for the first month and $25 each month after (both require a deposit up front, but it is 100% refundable in cash, or 100% + a bonus if you choose store credit). I know I won?t be good about re-sale and we?re not sure we?ll have a 2nd LO, so this was the cheapest cost for us.
BFP #1: 10-25-11, MC: 11-1-11 @ 5w5d
BFP#2: 12-29-11, DS born September 2012
TFAS: July 2014, BFP#3: 12-29-14, EDD 9-9-15
We have about 50 newborn AIOs, AI2s, pockets and fitteds with covers, for around $300, everything bought on new, on sale over a 9 month period. With DD her newborn stash were used until 4 mos. I preferred them over sposies. They are all in excellent condition and I could either sell them or save for the next baby. We chose to keep them.
You can look on the Facebook CD swap page for AIOs, pockets and fitteds in new or like new condition with deep discounts. Also, we found that Oh Katy OS fit her from NB so you can also look into them (they are closing and on clearance right now).