Anyone going Diaper-free? I hate disposables

Hi,

I do not have any experience with cloth diapers but if your issue is the laundromat, you can opt for a diaper service. It should be offered in most areas in US. They will pick up the soiled cloth diapers and deliver fresh sanitized ones. Try googling "diaper service" and your area.

 

I would second the idea of diaper service. i checked for nj and we dont have any. but you might find some in NY.
Also check laundromat services.

Priya

 

I am slightly leary of hearing about how child-friendly or eco-friendly India were before the invasion of disposable diapers
How about elimination communication? I started doing it, but backed off after a lot of issues totally unrelated to DS' diapers . You need take the child to the bathroom every 30 minutes and give him a cue to pee, either the sss sound, run the water, etc. After a meal, you can take your child to the bathroom to either seat him on the pottychair or sit with him in the adult potty and cue him again to do his deed.
Cloth diapers the kind sold in the USA use micro-fleece next to the skin, which again absorbs the moisture and keeps the area next to the skin dry. So I do not know how good it is quicker potty training, if it were to work exactly like a sposie.
Apart from diaper services, I would also consider handwashing if it is just going to be a couple in the night time or maybe just one with some inserts!

 

From what my aunts etc tell me, they managed in several ways. One, baby was often in a cloth cradle (thooli if you are Tamil) - so when baby peed you got up, moved the lcloth around to a dry spot and rocked baby back to sleep (presumably you also cleaned the floor underneath). Another way was to keep a bucket and some clean CDs at your bedside and change the baby whenever they peed. I know so many who did train journeys with a covered bucket and a bag full of CDs too. Certainly it would not have made for a good night's sleep - either for mom or baby - but then they did have a lot of help with the baby during the day.

And this is till how babies are managed in most homes. The upper middle-class disposable-users are definitely a minority - based on what I see around me anyway.

Vanathi.

 

Krithika, most good cloth diapers use microfiber lining. Microfleece is only used as doublers or stuffers that go inside the pocket and doesn't touch the skin as it is not good for the skin. Microfiber on the other hand is an absorbent fabric so has a cloth like feel to it.

Raj

 

Raj, I think you have it the other way round. Microfleece wicks away the moisture while microfibre locks in the moisture, upto 8 x its weight. If the clothe diaper were to work exactly like a disposable and wicks away moisture from the skin and keep the skin dry, I am not sure how they serve to potty train quicker? All that I've read suggests you can only truly potty train a child after they are 18 months old when they get control over their various sphincters . But I think many use eliminiation communication and potty training synonymously.

p.s. apologies for the unwieldy posting, the link is zanyzebra.com. All that I read before I ordered fabric from the US says exactly this.


<table style="width: 512px; height: 701px;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"><tbody><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"><tbody><tr><td></td> <td>Microfiber Diaper Fabric

Microfiber is usually 75% polyester 25% polyamide, and is a great diaper fabric for soakers and inners. It traps moisture between its fibers and can absorb up to 8 times its weight in liquid! Light and thin, microfiber dries quickly and gets more absorbent with use. Avoid using microfiber next to baby because it can dry out baby's skin. </td> </tr> <tr><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td> </td> <td>Microfleece Diaper Fabric

Microfleece is 100% polyester and a superior moisture-wicking diaper fabric. It is used next to baby's skin to keep baby feeling dry and comfortable even in a wet diaper. Microfleece resists staining, and does not hold poo like other diaper fabric can. Best of all, it's so soft and cushy for baby!</td></tr></tbody></table>

</td> </tr> <tr><td>
</td></tr> <tr><td>
</td> <td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

Krithika, I guess different sites say different things on this topic, huh? I never made any cloth diapers at home, whatever I know on this topic is my knowledge from the internet. We use Bumgenius brand and they have microfiber lining, and I haven't had any dryness issues on Riya yet.

I do think cloth diapers help potty training quicker though as the kid does feel some 'ickiness' even though they wick away moisture. Compared to disposables, cloth diapers can only be worn for an hour or so before they get heavy and wet which makes the kid uncomfortable, atleast that's how it is with Riya. The cds also have to be changed more frequently, which initiates taking the kid to the bathroom before the next change. I started doing potty training on Riya regularly when she was 10 months old, and now at 17 months she tells us when she has to go poo poo and has recently started telling us when she has to go pee pee.

Raj

 

This is from bumgenius site. They use a microfibre core or the stitched in insert. Their doublers on the otherhand does use microfiber, but that is NOT to be used next to skin, but to stuff the diapers with. This is an advice commonly floated around the WAHM diaper makers and forums of diaper sewing mommies.
I do not think any reasonable manufacturer will use microfibre next to the skin. I know for a fact BG v 3 (which I think you use) uses organic cotton and version 2 comes with the above mentioned alternatives. Microfleece is a tad bit cheaper than fleece and is therefore the preferred as inner lining among diaper sewing moms.
I know I am a diaper geek. That happens when you have to read everything before you order those fabrics. When you cannot return them (inexpensively) and when you end up spending 10$ and upward a yard for something, you need to know your fabric!

 

Hmm, it's very confusing at times especially for people who don't make their own cloth diapers! Hard to figure out what's what! Thanks for straightening things out.

Raj