My Take on Cloth Diapers - 1.5 years in

diaper laundry - ready to be folded

I just wanted to do a quick update on my experience with cloth diapers now that we're 1.5 years in.

First, I am so thankful for cloth diapers because they have saved us a ton of money!   We started out using prefolds and covers predominantly (that's the cheapest cloth diaper set-up you can invest in), and they will definitely last through baby #2.  :)  I've also recently invested in some pocket diapers (pictured below) which are much more daddy-friendly because they work almost exactly like a disposable (after I stuff them).   Let's just be honest, I enjoy having a quick diaper solution too!

Unfortunately, Enoch is about to outgrow the biggest size of prefold available (if I want to continue using a snappi with them), so I'm considering altering a few with my trusty sewing machine.  Ideally, I'll be able to add some tabs onto the sides (for added width) without sacrificing the length.  I'm a huge snappi fan because it keeps the prefold in place and minimizes the clean up that comes along with poop, so let's just say that if altering them doesn't work I'll be scraping together a Plan B quickly (because he's also about to outgrow the pocket diapers too)!

pocket diapers - folded & ready to go!

Regarding a washing schedule, I've just recently become super organized about this in the past month and have started a washing routine: every Wednesday and Saturday I do diaper laundry.  I don't use cloth on Sundays since we're out of the house so much, so that means that I wash Mon-Wed diapers on Wednesday night and Thurs-Sat diapers on Saturday night.  This works great for me, and my diaper pail can hold just that many diapers.  Once Karis comes, I may end up investing in another pail since my washer could easily wash more each time.

If you're considering trying cloth, I'd highly recommend it IF you can afford the initial investment, are willing to wash a few extra loads of laundry weekly, and have a supportive husband.  I would say that 100% cotton is the best way to go, and that having some diversity is helpful (like a few pocket diapers for when you're lazy).  We also love using flushable liners (Imse Vimse is our preferred brand) because cleaning up poop is so much easier!  If you're wondering how many cloth diapers you'll need, try using this calculation:

(# of diapers you change per day) * (# of days between washing) = # of diapers needed

Currently, I use about 15-18 every 3 days, not including night time, but we went through a lot more when Enoch was smaller, like 18-22 every 2-3 days.  (If you go with prefolds and covers, you'll need 1 cover for every 3-5 prefolds because you can re-use the covers.)  We have also had good success with the "one-size" adjustable type of cloth diapers (they use snaps to adjust for a range of weights).  I also recommend going into a cloth diaper store (preferably with your baby) because the women in *most* stores are so helpful, and you can see how each type of diaper fits on your little one before buying.  I really miss the store in NWA (Terra Tots)!!