Cloth Diapering:The Basic Questions

Got more questions on cloth diapering?

So far, I've discussed why I decided to use cloth diapers in part 1. Followed by the disclaimer portion in part 2.

I assume that by now, you're seriously considering to try it and you're hungry for more information. If you've done a bit of research, then you might be in danger of information overload. For your convenience, I have listed down the same questions I had before I made the first purchase.

Q.What are my options?

Based on my research, I've found 9 types of cloth diapering systems. I've narrowed them down to 6, based on what I think is available here in the Philippines.

Traditional Cloth Diapers
Flats	Prefolds	Fitted
	image from www.newandgreen.com	image from www.newandgreen.com
The traditional lampin we know Can be folded in different ways for different levels of absorption Requires a fastener (like pins or snappi) Paired with a diaper cover Pros: Inexpensive High availability - can be found in local department stores Versatile - can also be used as burp cloths or can be used as inserts Dries fast Cons: Less convenient because this requires folding. At some point, it would be difficult to use on an active baby.	Made of 3 multi-layer panels sewn together, with the middle layer being the thickest to provided increased absorbency. May require a fastener Paired with a diaper cover Pros: Relatively inexpensive Versatile - can be used as inserts Dries fast Cons: Less convenient because this requires folding. At some point, it would be difficult to use on an active baby Here in the Philippines, I dont think this is available in the department stores. Most likely you'll find them in specialty stores and online shops like theecobabyboutique	Fitted diapers are made of layers of an absorbent fabric, cut in an hour-glass shape. Similar to a disposable diaper Have built in closures (snaps or velcro) Paired with a diaper cover Pros: Relatively inexpensive (compared to pockets,AIOs and AI2s) Easier to use than flats and prefolds bacause it's already shaped and you don't have to use pins Cons: Low availability-  This isn't readily available in department stores. There may be some online shops that sell fitted diapers.
Modern Cloth Diapers
Pockets	All In Ones (AIO)	Hybrids/All In Twos (AI2)
image from www.greenninja.ca	image from www.diaperjunction.com	image from www.mommyoftwolittlemonkeys.com
Made up of 2 parts: the “pocket” or diaper cover and the absorbent insert. The outer layer of the pocket is made of a waterproof fabric (usually PUL), while the inner layer is a stay-dry fabric (usually fleece or suedecloth). Have built in closures (snaps or velcro) Pros: Very convenient (read:daddy friendly) and fast diaper change. Microfleece or Microsuede lining - baby feels dry, helps prevent diaper rash Medium availability - already saw some pockets being sold in department stores. There are also a lot of online sellers carrying different brands. Dries faster than an all-in-one. Cons: Once insert is soaked, you can't reuse the pocket. Extra laundry step: the stuffing of inserts More expensive than flats, prefolds and insert	The waterproof layer, the absorbent layer, and the layer against the skin are all sewn together in one diaper.  Have built in closures (snaps or velcro) Pros: The most convenient option- no separate parts to organize. Microfleece or Microsuede lining - baby feels dry, helps prevent diaper rash Cons: The most expensive type. Takes a long time to dry. Low availability - sold in specialty stores and online shops.	Similar to pocket diapers except that instead of stuffing a pocket, you snap the insert inside the diaper. Can adjust absorbency by  using doublers. Have built in closures (snaps or velcro) Pros: Very convenient (read:daddy friendly) and fast diaper change. You can reuse the cover Dries faster than an all-in-one. Cons: More expensive than flats, prefolds and insert Low availability - sold in specialty stores and online shops.

Q.Which option is the best for me?

These are my recommendations, based on experience and research:

• Flats/Prefolds - Ideal if you're on a tight budget and convenience is not at the top of your list.
• All-In-Ones- They're great if you want a the most convenient system and money is not an issue.
• Pockets - If you want to have something in between. My initial stash actually consisted of pocket diapers. They're made in China, so it's not that expensive.
• All-In-Twos (or Hybrids) - In my opinion (also based on experience), this is a better option than the pockets system. I would also include the diaper covers (like Cluebebe covers) in this category. The initial cost will be higher because they're generally more expensive than pockets. However, if you factor in re-usability (you can reuse the cover until they're soiled or stinky), I'd say you'll be better off with this option. My best friend and I compared notes and we both wished we started off with covers/AI2s instead of pockets.

Q.Where can I buy these items?

• Flats - You can find this at the baby section of any major department stores. If you live within Metro Manila, you might want to visit Divisoria. You can buy them at lower prices- depending on your haggling skills.
• Prefolds/Fitted - I don't know of any department stores carrying these types of cloth diapers. However, I seem to remember some online shops selling prefolds:
• Bambino Baby Shop - They also have a facebook page.
• The Eco Baby Boutique - I'm not sure if they have a facebook page.
• Pockets/AIOs/AI2s - Pockets are fairly easier to find here in Makati. You can find them at:
• Landmark - Papoose brand
• Baby Couture, Glorietta - Papoose brand
• Indigo Baby, Legaspi Sunday Market - Next9 cloth diapers

          If you are comfortable with online shopping, there are a number of online sellers that offer these three.

Allow me to promote (oh,shameless plug!) the Facebook Page that my best friend and I put together:

• Mommy HQ - we sell flats (Curity), pockets (Sunbaby) and diaper covers (Cluebebe)

Since multiply is already down, I'll just list down the sites and Facebook pages where I was able to buy cloth diapers:

• The Eco Baby Boutique
• Baby Chic Boutique
• Cluebebe Philippines
• Thrifty Mama Shoppe
• Baby Nate's Online Shop
• Earth Baby

You can also buy pre-owned cloth diapers. Yes, I bought second hand items too-mostly US brand cloth diapers like Grovia.

There is a Facebook group called Modern Cloth Nappying Pinays or MCNP. In this group, you'll find loads of information related to cloth diapering. And in this group, you could also buy second hand cloth diapers.

Q.How many pieces should I buy?

I am more familiar with the modern cloth diapers(Pockets/AIOs/AI2s), so I could not give an estimate for the traditional ones(Flats/Prefolds/Fitted).

If you plan to wash the diapers every other day, then I guess 24 is a safe number for a stash made up of purely pockets. It could be less if you use covers or AI2s.

Three dozen cloth diapers might still cost a lot if you buy them at once. If your budget (assuming you have one) makes it difficult to build your stash right away, then here are some suggestions:

• Start small - this was what I did. From 3 diapers, I slowly built my stash. In the process, I was able to try different brands. My last few purchases were covers and extra inserts.
• Buy pre-owned
• Join group buys

I hope this post gives you an idea on where to start. Happy shopping!

Cloth Diapering:The Caveats

This is part two of a series of posts about my cloth diapering experiences. I hope this will help enlighten parents who are considering to make the big switch.

In the first post, I've written about what made me decide to try cloth diapers for my son. Have I piqued your interest on the topic?

image from thejoyfulgiraffe.com

Cloth diapering is a wonderful thing. I am happy I was able to come across this idea. I wish that more parents will decide to try this. However, I feel it is also important to make you aware of these realities:

The initial cost can be intimidating.

Last February, I went to the SM Baby Fair at Megamall. I remembered, I was in a booth checking out the price list (If it's not discounted, then I'm gone baby!) when I overheard this conversation:

Daddy: Miss, magkano lahat ng diapers?

Staff: 4000++ (Sorry, I could not recall the exact amount)

Daddy: What?!!!

I'd say, his reaction is normal. When I was pregnant, I calculated the amount I would need to build my initial stash. When I arrived at the total amount, I cursed. Although I am aware that in the long run I will save more, I still cursed. So, I conveniently forgot about it, until my son was 9 months old and I had a compelling reason to consider cloth diapers.

If you want to come up with your projections, you may use these as references (these are US websites):
Cloth Diapering: A Real-World Analysis
Cloth Diapers vs. Disposables: Cost Comparison
Cloth vs. Disposable Diapers: A Cost Comparison

Your water and electricity bill will increase. And your laundry expenses as well.

Having a cloth diaper stash means added cost in laundry related expenses. If not managed properly, the

image from www.sweettmakesthree.com

increase will be significant.

In my experience, there was a noticeable spike in the laundry expenses category. For the first few months, I bought extra baby laundry detergent because I thought that was the only cloth diaper friendly detergent. I used Cycles, then eventually switched to Smart Steps (a cheaper alternative). I also scored some online deals from group buying sites like SMAC deals and CashCashPinoy.

It was only a a couple of months ago when I read that you could actually use regular detergent like Tide (Original) and Champion(Original). So there you go, cheaper options.

You will have to change your child's diapers more often.

When we were still using disposable diapers, I noticed that our yaya will only change when the diaper is already sagging. When we switched to cloth diapers, we diaper changes became more frequent.

I read that this will help toddlers potty train faster. Frequent change could also help prevent diaper rashes (parents take note, babies wearing cloth diaper can still get diaper rashes).

You will have to deal with your baby's poo.

Fecal matter, anyone? If the poo gets too stinky, I sometimes miss disposable diapers. But lately, it's not really a big deal for us- I think I've been brainwashed already!

Modern cloth diapers need extra TLC.

Because want our cloth diapers to last, I would make sure to follow the do's and dont's of cloth diaper care. The topic merits a separate post, but just to give you an overview, here are some of the things to remember:

• No bleach, no fabric conditioner
• Do not pour boiling water on your cloth diaper - this will damage the PUL
• Fecal matter should be washed off immediately to prevent staining
• Strip every now and then - the cloth diapers, not you! *will discuss stripping in a separate post*
• Don't use just any diaper rash cream. Some brands can affect the performance of the diapers.

Expect resistance from your family and friends.

I didn't experience this first hand, but I've read several horror stories from some members of a local Facebook group. Most of the time, the grandparents are the ones who object to cloth diapering.

I consider myself fortunate that both my mother and my mother-in-law didn't raise a fuss over this. Sure, they  were curious at first, but they got the idea. My mother liked it so much, she asked for some old cloth diapers so that my nephew can use it. So far, my brother and his partner are happy because they were able to save money.

It his highly addictive.

image from Cluebebe Philippines Facebook Page

Okay, in the interest of fairness, I have to add this final warning. Mothers, beware: there are a lot of cute prints available- so let's not  go overboard with buying cloth diapers. You might end up buying more than you need. Which means unnecessary expenses. Which also means you have to be creative when you explain your latest purchase to your husband- and you will eventually run out of excuses.

I promised I won't be affected by the cute designs. I thought it would be easy, since I presumed there will be less boy prints available. But I end up looking at girl prints anyway - even wishing I had a girl when I saw those damn tutu diapers. Take a deep breath and close the browser - that's my technique. Sometimes it's effective, sometimes not.

At this point, you will realize that cloth diapering isn't a magical thing. But I assure you, if managed properly (there's that phrase again!), you will enjoy it.

Still to come: Before you buy that first diaper...

Cloth Diapering:The Why

This is part one of a series of posts about my cloth diapering experiences. I hope this will help enlighten parents who are considering to make the big switch.

I first heard of modern cloth diapers back in 2010. I was searching for a gift for my inaanak (goddaughter) when I found Tushy Wushy (now called Next9) sized diapers. My best friend is a fan of environment-friendly products (she was using biodegradable disposable diapers at that time), so I thought this reusable diaper will be perfect for her child.

Fast forward to 2012, I came home and found my son crying. Our nanny explained that he had a diaper rash and it's getting worse. Being a rookie mom, I searched online for a good solution to prevent recurring diaper rashes. I read that using cloth diapers could be an answer to our problems. Several search results later, I found myself reading more about cloth diapers.

From what I gathered, mothers decide to switch to cloth diapers based on the following reasons:

• Health
• Disposable diapers contain the following chemicals:
• Dioxin - It is a by-product of paper bleaching process. It is known to cause damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver.
• Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals.
• Sodium polyacrylate - a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. In the early 1980s it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome.
• Cloth diapers do not prevent diaper rashes, but you may deal with this problem less than you would with disposables.Cloth diapers allow your baby’s skin to breathe and heal more quickly. it also does not contain chemicals that would irritate the baby's skin.
• Cost
• Cloth diapers are reusable. If you have enough diapers in your stash, you may no longer need to buy disposable diapers again. They can still be used by your next child.
• Environmental Impact
• It is estimated to be around 250-500 years before a disposable diaper will decompose.
• Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste.
• The manufacture and use of disposable diapers amounts to 2.3 times more water wasted than cloth.

Those are really good reasons, but they already had me at Dioxins. For a mom whose son was born with one kidney, the words 'kidney' and 'damage' used in the same sentence will raise a red flag. I want my son to live a long and healthy life,. As much possible, I choose not to expose him to harmful chemicals. In some cases, it might mean additional expenses, but the peace of mind that it brings is well worth the cost.

But I digress. Still unsure about cloth diapering, I started out with just 3 sets - pocket diapers from Next9. Slowly, I began building up my stash. I bought different types and tried out different brands. Most of the items I bought are made in China. Soon, I had enough diapers to last for three days without washing.

our humble stash

lucho in his cloth diapers

We're obviously happy with cloth diapering. For several months, cloth diapers are limited to daytime use. But a month ago, we began using cloth diapers at night. Imagine the relief I felt when I didn't have to buy disposables in one of my grocery trips!

However, I could not commit to using it 100%. While we no longer use disposables at home, outside is a different matter. I just dislike the idea of carrying around soiled diapers - no matter how cute the wet bag is.

Up next: The caveats...