To get started cloth diapering, you will need a few basic things. First you will need to decide which type of diaper you want to use. Read our article on how to choose the right diaper for you here if you haven’t decided. Once you figure that out, you will need to make sure you have either a diaper pail or a wet bag to store your dirty diapers in. A large lided plastic trash can with a liner will work perfectly for a diaper pail. Or you can find a variety of hanging wet bags. Then you will need to stock up on wipes and wipe solution. Lastly, you will need to determine what kind of laundry detergent you want to wash your diapers with.
How Many Do I Need?
How many diapers you need will depend on three important factors. What kind of diapers you are using, the age of your child, and how often you wash. Here is a general idea of what you will need based on a three day wash cycle.
Newborn to 6 months
* 30 – 36 diapers
* 2 – 3 dozen cloth wipes
* 6 – 8 covers
* 12 – 15 doublers for naps or more for heavy wetters
* 2 -3 Snappi fasteners (if needed)
* 30 – 36 pocket inserts (if needed)
6 to 12 Months
* 24 – 30 diapers
* 2 – 3 dozen cloth wipes
* 4 – 6 covers
* 6 – 9 doublers for naps or more for heavy wetters
* 2 -3 Snappi fasteners (if needed)
* 24 – 30 pocket inserts (if needed)
12 – 24+ Months
* 18 – 24 diapers
* 2 – 3 dozen cloth wipes
* 3 – 4 covers
* 3 – 6 doublers for naps or more for heavy wetters
* 2 – 3 Snappi fasteners (if needed)
* 18 – 24 pocket inserts (if needed)
For Night-time
* 3 pockets with inserts, or
* 3 “night-time” fitteds, or
* 3 prefolds with doublers and
* 1 -2 wool covers, or
* 1 -3 PUL or fleece covers
How Much Will It Cost?
The cost of using cloth diapers varies from person to person. You can spend as little as you need, or you can spend alot. If you are on a tight budget, there are many ways to make your own diapers. You can sew diapers yourself using items from around your house such as t-shirts, or you can buy your own materials. Another inexpensive way is to use Chinese or Indian Prefolds. Prefolds usually cost around $2 each, so you could spend $30 for a stash of two dozen. Add in your covers and Snappi’s and you have a complete stash for under $80.
Of course if you have more allowance in your budget, and you want to go with fitteds or pockets, you can still build a nice stash without breaking the bank. For around $400, you can get about two dozen mid-priced fitteds and some covers. For about the same price, you can get two dozen pocket diapers.
Just think of it this way – even though it seems like you are spending alot of money on diapers, this is still less than half the cost of what you would spend if you used disposables. Compared to the price of using disposables, if you spend $400 on diapers and covers, you will break even in less than a year. When you put it that way, you are actually saving alot of money.
Beth Eckert ~
Eco Baby Buzz~
Get the Buzz on everything cloth diapering ~
http://www.ecobabybuzz.com
Author: Beth Eckert
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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