Tuesday, June 6, 2017
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Cloth diapering can be so intimidating when starting out. Where do you begin?  Some parents struggle with the whole idea. It's not always easy to just jump on board, especially when you have so many questions about how it works.
I remember back when we began using cloth diapers and the concerns my husband had.  Many of the other moms I've spoken with about starting out also expressed their significant others didn't seem as interested.  I think I have some answers on how to make it easier for all involved.  Cool Dads Do Cloth Diaper!  I'll share some things that I know gained my husband's interest in cloth diapering and tips for everyone when starting out with cloth!


SET A BUDGET
Setting a budget may be a top priority for you when looking into using cloth diapers.  Here are a couple questions to ask yourself:  How much are you currently spending or how much will you be spending per month on diapers? How much do you envision your entire cloth diaper stash costing?
I'm going to break down the costs of disposable diapers versus cloth diapering.  These are my personal calculations, and costs may vary depending on your individual needs and purchases.
1) A typical baby uses 6 disposable diapers a day (if not more). The average cost per diaper is $.25. This equals to be 42 diapers a week, 2191 diapers a year. That would cost approximately $547.75 per year they're in diapers. The typical child potty trains around 30 months. So if you're planning on using disposable diapers, expect to spend $1369.38 or more!
2) A typical baby goes thru about 8 cloth diapers a day (or more). The average cost per newborn diaper is approximately $15. If you wash every other day, you'd need a minimum of 24 newborn diapers. Same with one size diapers, about 24 of them at approximately $20 a diaper. Add the costs of that and you get $840. This is the entire cost from birth to potty-training!
Want some ideas on how to save more money?  Visit "Can You Afford Cloth Diapers" by Zephyr Hill blog, and "How to Get Free Cloth Diapers" by Mama Bananas Adventures!  There are plenty of ways to cut your cloth budget costs in half!
FIND A GOOD WASHING ROUTINE
Getting all your cloth diaper accessories and planning a reliable washing routine is what might help you keep it going even when the going gets tough.  What products out there are going to help make your washing routine stress free?  What kind of laundry detergent do you prefer to use?
Two items that we find really necessary are a cloth diaper sprayer and some sort of shield.  Giving my husband the "job" of building this tool was something that made him feel helpful in assisting me with the baby's needs.
He went to the local hardware store and purchased a side sprayer, three hose clamps, toilet supply hose and a nylon hose fitting insert tee.  We already had a bucket, a dish pan and clothes pins. He cut out half a circle at the bottom of the bucket. My husband was able to put all this together in about half an hour (with no plumbing experience) and spent roughly $22 on the entire set up.
As soon as a diaper is soiled, you give it a quick spray-down in the bucket, then put the diaper in the diaper pail to wait for the wash.  If you're worried about stuff on diapers getting on you or smelling them, get some dishwashing gloves, a mask and goggles!

If you're looking for a detergent, Pinstripes and Polkadots has a useful chart!  There are several brands we prefer, Rockin' Green is one.  They have a 15% discount for currently active military and veterans!
By the way,  if you're interested in the average price per gallon of water to add to your budgeting above, it is approximately one penny. My HE washer uses about 15 gallons or so per wash, which equals to be around $16 a year spent on washing.
Using used cloth diapers?  See Stripping Cloth Diapers in 3 Easy Steps!
MAKE IT EASY
My #1 tip really is to make using cloth diapers easy! We decided to try out as many different types of cloth diapers to be able to get a good understanding of what would work best for us.  Starting out, almost every single diaper was previously loved- meaning they were CHEAP. We didn't spend much while working on figuring out what we preferred.  My husband was always reaching for the pocket cloth diapers, so I would stuff the pockets ahead of time, then he could more easily put them on. He had no issues getting them on just right and felt like they were the most user-friendly.  If you try a diaper with velcro and like it better than snaps, stick to what works for you.  Think All-In-One cloth diapers are more simple?  Take advantage of that.  Not sure what all the types of diapers there are?  Look for a local cloth diapering class to participate in or watch some YouTube videos together to learn about all the different types.
HAVE FUN SHOPPING
Dad can help shop and choose whatever floats his boat, too.  You are lucky to get to have the opportunity to buy a diaper to match whatever outfit baby has.  Also cloth diapering is a quirky way to show off your hobbies and passions!  You can find almost any fabric design and/or get things embroidered to make the diaper fit your style.  Buy what you like and have fun!
I love Purple Unicorn Diapers, she really provides her customers with creative styles.  She has fabrics galore and always is ordering more, plus her embroidery skills are on point.
Read my review of Purple Unicorn Hybrid Fitteds!
To help celebrate Father's Day, Purple Unicorn is giving away $25 shop credit!  What a great way to get Dad his unicorn diaper!  Use the competition form below to enter.

Giveaway is open to US only and ends June 20th, 2017 at 11:59 pm CST. One person will be randomly drawn from the entry form.  Must be 18 years of age or older.  No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Winner will be announced on my Facebook page, emailed and name displayed within the giveaway widget. You will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be drawn.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Latched On Mom and other participating bloggers did not receive compensation to promote this giveaway. Prize fulfillment is sponsor's responsibility. All bloggers participating are not responsible for lost or stolen prizes. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or any other social media. If you have any questions, or have a product you'd like for me to review, please email latchedonmom@gmail.com

8 comments:

  1. What a great question! I would love to get a custom WAHM diaper with the 82nd Airborne emblem.

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  2. I would suggest giving a friend (or letting her borrow) a couple of your diapers, in different styles, to try at her leisure. This is a free and low-pressure way to see if she likes it.

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  3. I would show my friends all the awesomely cute prints that you can get in cloth diapers!

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  4. My biggest tip is to wash every 2 days and dry on low.

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  5. I would keep flashing my cutest AIOs and saying how much I love not having blowouts with cloth diapers!

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  6. Well I always mention the difference in cost and how much you save using cloth. I also show them the newer diapers and how easy they are to use vs what I used in the 80"s.

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  7. I show people the diapers so they can see them first hand!

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  8. I think showing people how easy they are to change helps convince others that cloth diapers are the way to go!

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