On cloth bums

Want me to tell you something you already know?  Cloth nappies are the best choice for your baby, your pocketbook and the environment.  I am sure the vast majority of (new) mums must know that fluffy bums are hands-down the most economical decision they can make for at least the first five years of any child's life.

So why don't more people do it?  Is it because they feel intimidated at the plethora of choices and combinations when compared to purchasing disposable ones?  The intial outlay?  The laundry burden?  They think each bum change will take longer?  I think it's a combination of all those.

So I want to dispel all those myths.

1. Don't be intimidated at the hundreds of brands, styles, combinations for cloth diapering.
 Read.  Research.  Go to shops.  Talk to people online.  Find local mums who use cloth.  When pregnant with my first, I read pretty much every article on The Nappy Lady website.  She breaks it down and provides simple summaries of all the different types of cloth nappies out there.  You need to choose a style or 2 you best like the sound of and go from there.  Don't buy a huge stash without trying that style/brand first - acquire a sampling, make sure it suits your child (and you!).  Some babies are shaped oddly and only suit a certain style while others can wear lots of different types of cloth nappies with no leaking.

2. The initial outlay
Buy used.  I'll say it again - BUY USED NAPPIES.  There is NO reason to pay the crazy prices that new ones cost - used ones are perfectly suitable and have the added bonus of they actually get better absorbancy over time.  My usual port of call for used things is eBay, but they rather naively have banned used cloth nappies, so I highly recommend UsedNappies and The Nappy Site for listings.  I have paid pennies for my stash compared to the hundreds they would've cost new.  One you find a brand/style that you like, look out for 'lot' sales where you can pick up a huge bundle for cheap.

Check if your local council participates in the Go Real scheme.  Many offer rebates or vouchers towards cloth nappy purchases!

3. The laundry burden
  Of course you have to wash the suckers.  And I can't really lie, you will have more washing.  However, it doesn't cost lots more (water, electricity) if you're smart AND I do promise you get used to it.  You don't need fancy products - just normal bio detergent and nothing else.  Do NOT use fabric softener and even stain remover isn't usually necessary.  Maybe I've been lucky, but after 2 children my nappies are still their original colours.  Any stains have faded in the sun over time (maybe not with first wash, but put them back in rotation and they will eventually).  The only other thing I can even think of is some vinegar for doing the occasion 'strip wash'.  I wash nappies every other day, but I can go every 3 days if I feel like it and some people (with bigger stashes) can go longer (though I find they start to pong a bit!).  I wash them in a load with the boys' clothes and everything is fine.  Even more awesome is breastfed baby pre-weaning poo can be put straight in the washer and it will dissolve and wash out magically.  Even less work!  I wash all my nappies on 40C or 60C on a normal cycle.  They are then line dried - outdoors whenever possible.  The sun really is magic and will keep your nappies fresher and nicer - I wouldn't tumble dry mine even if I owned one to be honest.

4. Changing each nappy takes too long / too much stuff to faff with 
Usually this is the man's argument, but I'll bet some mums think so too.  Good news they sell all-in-one cloth nappies that are EXACTLY a disposable in that all you do is literally snap it around baby and off you go.  I personally don't like AIOs, but they do refute this argument.  Even with a separate system (nappy and outer wrap are 2 separate bits), you very very quickly get used to it and it's just as fast as a disposable.  Keep your changing table tidy and keep everything in close grabbing reach and you're fine.

It is bulkier and more stuff to deal with when out and about.  If I think I'll need more than 1 spare in the changing bag, I will use disposables to be totally honest.  Don't let that tiny detail stop you from using cloth the other 90% of the time.

In summary, I really cannot urge you enough to consider cloth bums.  They DON'T have to be the expensive, faffy investment you are imagining.  The return on your money increases with every child you use them for, and even better they hold their value for resale at the end!

(I also use washable wipes to save further pennies, but I'll save that for another post!)