Are Cloth Diapers Worth It? – My Honest Thoughts on Cloth Diapers
Do you hate spending money on disposable diapers but are wondering if cloth diapers are worth it? As a mom of 2 under 2, here are my honest thoughts on our transition to cloth diapers.
A few years ago I never would have dreamed I would be willing to try cloth diapers, let alone be the one to convince my husband that we should invest in them! However, a lot can change when you start having kids (like seeing how many diapers they actually go through).
Now that I’m using cloth diapers on 2 under 2, I’ve realized that I had a lot of preconceptions about cloth diapers. However, they weren’t completely accurate.
If you’re considering using cloth diapers (or just think it’s an interesting idea), here is everything I’ve learned about the process.
Why Would I Want to Use Cloth Diapers Anyway?
First off, why would anyone want to use cloth diapers? Aren’t disposable diapers an amazing modern convenience that we should all take advantage of?
There are a number of pros to cloth diapers, but the biggest reason I started considering cloth was the cost. After doing some math, we estimated that we could potentially save around $10,000 over the next 10 years.
That’s enough to pay for a car!
The amount you could save will vary significantly on the number of kids you have and the type of disposable diapers you buy. We buy Costco diapers and figured we will likely have 1-2 kids in diapers at a time for the next 10 years.
Pros of Cloth Diaper
Much cheaper – Most babies go through almost $1,000 a year in disposable diapers. You’ll save so much money by using cloth instead.
Healthier material – It’s no secret that most disposable diapers are filled with chemicals, and if you get a cleaner brand, you’ll likely pay a lot more. If you’re looking for the best diaper for your baby’s skin, it’s hard to beat organic cotton cloth diapers!
Fewer diaper rashes – If your baby gets frequent rashes, it’s likely due to a sensitivity to disposable diapers. I thought my baby just had the “normal” amount of diaper rashes, but as soon as I switched to cloth she stopped getting them.
Fewer blowouts – If the cloth diapers fit right, they do a fantastic job of preventing blowouts! At the time I’m writing this, my almost 4 month old has never had a blowout thanks to cloth diapers.
Less waste – If you’re trying to reduce your waste, switching to cloth diapers is a great way to make a difference!
Makes potty training easier – Almost immediately after switching to cloth, my 1 year old started telling me when she used the bathroom.
Cons of Cloth Diapers
More work – This is the biggest negative to cloth diapers. They will add 2-3 loads of laundry to your routine each week. Also, once your baby starts solids, you’ll need to rinse out the poopy diapers in the toilet.
Expensive investment – When I decided to start using cloth diapers, it was an initial investment of around $500. However, the diapers I purchased fit babies and toddlers between 8 and 35 pounds, and they’ll last for a number of kids.
Learning curve – Cloth diapering takes a little bit of trial and error. I had my share of leaks the first few days as I was figuring out the fit. If you have a friend who uses cloth diapers, ask them to show you how the diapers are supposed to fit.
Less absorbent – Cloth diapers don’t absorb quite as much as disposables do, so you need to change them a little more frequently to avoid leaks. If this is a major issue for you, you can always add an extra layer of cloth for more absorbency (I do this for my toddler at night).
Difficult for childcare workers – Not everyone knows (or wants to know) how to cloth diaper which can be an issue if someone else is watching your baby. Because of this, I keep a few disposables on hand for times when someone else is changing my kids’ diapers.
My Honest Thoughts On Cloth Diapers
I knew for a while that I should switch to cloth, but the idea was a bit overwhelming. I also didn’t want to spend $500 on diapers only to find out they wouldn’t work for our family.
(You can buy them much cheaper used, but since I was planning to use them on a number of kids, I didn’t feel like finding and picking up used ones was worth the hassle.)
When I finally decided to make the switch it was actually a lot simpler than I thought! The first week was a bit of a learning curve, but after that I didn’t even think about it.
Do Cloth Diapers Make for Lots of Laundry?
No one wants extra laundry, but this part has gone well for me. I do a load every 2-3 days, and I don’t take time to fold it. This adds about 20-35 minutes of work to my week.
Diaper Rashes with Cloth Diapers
My toddler had never had bad diaper rashes, but it was pretty common for her to have slight redness, no matter how often I changed her or what creams I used. After switching to cloth, the redness left. It only came back when we temporarily went back to disposables during the first few weeks postpartum with baby #2.
Do Cloth Diapers Smell?
It depends what your system is!
When I first started, I had read how the diapers need ventilation to avoid smelling. I tried everything to keep them properly ventilated. All I did was spread the smell of urine throughout the air and make my husband question our decision to use cloth diapers.
Then I switched to simply tossing them in a trash can with a lid lined with a waterproof diaper bag. This worked perfectly to eliminate smell and is what we’re still doing.
Tips for Switching to Cloth Diapers
Make the switch when you’re not busy – We’re all busy, but, just like you wouldn’t choose to potty train during a particularly hectic week, don’t switch to cloth diapers when you’re extra busy either. It can take about a week to get confident in your new routine.
Use disposables on trips – I use cloth if we’re just going to be gone for a few hours or even most of the day, but I wouldn’t want to deal with cloth diapers for overnight trips.
Enlist a friend to show you how – If you know someone who cloth diapers, get them to teach you how to use them. If not, set aside a little bit of time to watch some good YouTube videos and practice.
Don’t force others to cloth diaper – Many people don’t like the idea of cloth diapers, so if they’re watching my kids, I’m not going to force them to use a cloth diaper. It’s not a big deal to use disposables every so often.
Pre-wash the diapers an extra time or two – Cloth diapers need to be pre-washed, and if you go ahead and do it an extra time or two, you’ll avoid lots of leaks that first few days.
Recommended Cloth Diapers & Supplies
I did lots of research to determine what the best diapers and supplies were for us. I’m so happy with everything I purchased!
One Size Cloth Diaper Covers – These are supposed to fit babies from 8 – 35 pounds, and this has been my experience.
Organic Cotton Cloth Diapers – These go inside of the cloth diaper covers, and they’ve worked wonderfully for us. I have some in traditional sizes 1 and 2.
Handheld Toilet Sprayer – This makes cleaning dirty cloth diapers so easy!
Diaper Pail Liners – These work perfectly to line the trash can, and they can be washed and dried with the rest of the diaper laundry.
Hands-Free Trashcan with Lid – This is how I’ve eliminated all cloth diaper smell!
Free & Clear Laundry Detergent – You don’t need anything special for cloth diapers. I just use the same type we use for the rest of our laundry.
This post contains affiliate links which means I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Are Cloth Diapers Worth It?
Yes! For my family cloth diapers are 100% worth it!
It’s been so nice to stop buying diapers and know we’re saving so much money. I also love being able to feel good about what I’m putting on my babies’ skin. Avoiding blowouts has been another huge plus for me!
If you’re thinking about trying cloth diapers, I encourage you to go for it! The hardest part is getting started, and I am so glad I decided to make the switch.
Have you thought about trying cloth diapers? What’s the biggest question you have about using them? Let me know in the comments!
