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Cloth diapers are not nearly as difficult to use as many people think. Cloth diapers are healthy for baby and an economical and green alternative to disposable diapers.
Many new parents do not even consider using cloth diapers when they are preparing to welcome a new baby but the fact is, they are easy to use and a good choice for your baby and the environment. Types of Cloth DiapersCloth diapers have come a long way from the diapers your grandmother used. Today, you can find diapers that work the same way that you would use a disposable diaper at a fraction of the overall cost of disposables. You can still find the traditional cloth diapers that require folding, pins, and a cover but there are several alternatives available to fit your schedule and budget. Prefolds and covers are the cheapest option, but it does have a bit more of a learning curve and is slightly more time consuming. Prefolds are basic cloth diapers that have been designed to easily fold into thirds to create a thick, rectangular shape. A waterproof diaper cover is worn over the top to prevent leaks and hold the diaper in place. Pocket diapers are exactly what they sound like. They are diapers that work very similar to disposable diapers. They generally use Velcro or snaps to close and are easy for grandparents or daycare providers to use (although in many states, daycare providers are not allowed to use cloth diapers). Inside the diaper is a cloth pocket that allows you to customize the diaper to your baby’s needs by providing light padding for younger babies and extra padding for older baby’s or night time use. All-in-One diapers are designed to work exactly the way disposable diapers do. The cover and insert is combined to simplify the process and there are no extra steps required before diapering your baby. All-in-one diapers are the most expensive option and they take the longest amount of time to dry. Many diapers offer one size fits all options that let you adjust the diaper to your baby’s size. This prevents having to buy several sets of diapers as your baby grows and can save you quite a bit of money. Using Cloth DiapersMany parents are put off by the idea of using cloth diapers but to be honest, no matter what diapering choices you make, it will always involve a fair amount of solid matter. Cloth diapers are used in exactly the same way that you would use disposables, except instead of throwing the diaper away when you are done, you empty the solid matter into the toilet and put the used diaper in a diaper pail until it can be washed. Cloth diaper pails can actually be far less stinky than traditional diaper pails, partially because there is no solid material left in the diaper, and because you can wash as often as you need to instead of having diapers sit around for up to a week waiting for trash day. If you are using all-in-one diapers, you can simply change your baby’s diaper the way you normally would, empty the solid material in the toilet, and put the used diaper in a diaper pail. Any container, from an old trash can to an expensive diaper pail will work just fine for storing your used cloth diapers. Pocket diapers and prefolds require one extra step to put the diaper together. Having a few diapers already put together makes it easy to grab one when you need to. Washing Cloth DiapersWhen you are ready to wash your used cloth diapers, all you need to do is grab your diaper pail, make sure that all your pocket diapers and prefolds are separated, close any Velcro tabs to prevent them from sticking to other diapers in the wash, and wash them in hot water in your washing machine using the extra rinse cycle and a gentle detergent. The washing machines available today do a great job of thoroughly cleaning your cloth diapers without leaving any sort of residue in the washing machine. If you do not have an extra rinse cycle on your washing machine you can simply run the washing machine a second time for extra dirty loads. A half of a scoop of baking soda will freshen up your diapers without adding any harsh chemicals that will be close to your baby’s skin. Cloth diapers do take a little getting used to but once you try them you will wonder why you ever thought cloth diapers were difficult. Using cloth diapers will save you money, help the environment, and will protect your baby’s sensitive skin.
The copyright of the article Cloth Diapering Basics in Infants & Toddlers is owned by Rachel Lister. Permission to republish Cloth Diapering Basics in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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