Why Cloth Diaper? TOP
TOP REASONS TO CLOTH DIAPER:
1. The cost...it is estimated that disposables cost close to $4,000 for 2 yrs of diapering/wipes/toilet training....
2. Baby's health...disposables contain traces of Dioxin, Tributyl-tin (TBT), Sodium polyactrylate. All are toxic chemicals.
3. The Environment: (interesting facts):
-- Disposable diapers use 2x as much water as cotton diapers.
-- Disposable diapers use 3x as much energy as cotton diapers.
--Disposable diapers generate 60x more solid waste than cotton diapers.
-- Disposable diapers use 20x as much raw materials as cotton diapers.
-- 1 billion trees per year are destroyed to make disposable diapers approximately 4.5 for each baby who uses them.
-- It takes between 200-500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose.
-- Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent 30% of non-biodegradable waste.
-- 1 ton of garbage is created for each baby who uses disposable diapers.
-- 1 cup of crude oil is used for the plastic in 1 disposable diaper.
-- 18 billion disposalbe diapers are used in the U.S. each year enough to stretch to the moon and back 9 times.
The sources for the facts listed above are the following: Sierra Club, Californians Against Waste, Rhode Island Solid Waste Management Agency, Lehrberguer Report on the Impact of Diapers on the Environment, Greenpeace, Environmental Defense Fund, Center for Policy Alternatives How Do I Do this Crazy Cloth Diapering Thing? TOP
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Pick the system that works best for your family. (See my Try It For Free Package.)
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Order your diapering system from Hip Green Baby. :0)
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Once your fluff arrives..there may be some pre-washing required. (Take note the more diapers are washed...the more absorbent they become.)
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Set up your changing station.
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Now it's time to diaper the baby!
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Once diaper is dirty....throw it into your diaper pail lined with a wet bag (EBF poop...do nothing. Solid poop..dump what you can into toilet.)
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Every 2nd or 3rd day wash dipes.
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Dry in the sun or dryer. How Do I Set Up My Changing Station? TOP
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A standard changing table...this is where I store my diaper stash.
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2 wipe warmers full of warm water and cloth wipies.
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Large RubberMaid flip lid trash can lined with a Diaper Pail liner.
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Magic Stick close by in case of a skin irritation.
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I also have a changing station upstairs with a few diapers, 1 wipe warmer, and a large hanging pail. Why Indian Cotton Prefolds? TOP
Prefolds are my favorite cd system. Indian Cotton Pf's are trimmer (less bulky), more absorbent, and smoother than Chinese Prefolds. My Indian Cotton Pfs are Unbleached Cotton, premium 4X8X4..and come in two sizes. Infant size fits up to 5-6 mos. Regular should get you through to potty trained. You can fudge a regular sized PF on a tiny baby...but, I do recommend investing in some infant sized pfs. Why? Less bulk on a tiny guy and infant sized are really good to use as doublers or stuffing pocket diapers. How Do I Wash My Diapers? TOP
1. Dump your diapers/wipies/pail liner into the washer and do a cold rinse/wash to get the nasties out prior to the wash cycle. The more water, the better!
2. Add the detergent and do a hot wash. Use 2-3 Tbsp* per load. For HE machines or those with soft water use 1-2 Tbsp*.
3. Double Rinse.
(Breastfed poo...do nothing extra. Solid poo...dump what you can into toilet.) What Do I Need to Cloth Diaper? TOP
Kinda depends on your system...But....
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around 2 dozen diapers (this will get you 2 days for sure between washing) Infants are changed 12 times a day...the older Baby gets the fewer diaper changes per day.
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3 diaper covers (if you pick a system that requires them)
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3 snappies (if you need them)
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2 Pail liners (to rotate with washes)
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1 wet bag for your diaper bag
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chemical free detergent (no enzymes, no bleach, no softners)
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2 dozen cloth wipies
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magic stick (for skin irritation...cd baby's have less of an irritation issue..)
Bleach VS UnBleached TOP
Bleached versus Un-Bleached Cloth Diapers
Bleached prefold diapers are white because the cotton yarn was bleached in the factory prior to weaving the material. Cotton is naturally an ivory or light brown color. The bleaching process turns the cotton fibers white and also removes the natural cotton oils in the fibers. In doing so the strength of the fibers is reduced and the resulting woven material is slightly less durable. The bleaching process can lead to additional pollutants being released to the environment through airborne and waterborn emissions. Recent improvements in bleaching technology has reduced but not eliminated this impact.
Because unbleached diapers retain much of their natural cotton oils in the fiber matrix they are softer and more durable than bleached cloth diapers. Unbleached prefold cloth diapers must be washed at least 2-3 times after you receive them before they become absorbant. We recommend washing the diapers in hot sudsy water and drying them on high heat and repeating as many times as necessary for the diapers to become absorbant. You can test the absorbency by making a pocket of the diaper and slowly pouring 1/2 cup of liquid into the diaper. If the water pools and does not soak in fairly quickly, keep washing. Depending upon the detergent you use and the hardness of your water and the natural variations in cotton materials you may have to wash these up to 5 times before they become fully absorbant. Do not under any circumstance use fabric softner as this causes the fabric to be coated and thus repels moisture. Despite the added effort necessary to break in these diapers, they are extremely popular and by most accounts well worth it.
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