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...