Just for a little more information on hybrids:
I calculated 6 covers, 24 cloth inserts, and half the disposable inserts for the three popular systems. If anyone knows any other systems with a disposable option let me know.
gDiapers (sized)
gPants $18 x 6 x 3 sizes = $324
4 x 6packs small gCloth x $24 each + 4 x 6packs medium/large gCloth x $30 each = $312
4 gRefills per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .36c each = $1314
TOTAL = $1950
GroVia (one size)
Shells $17 x 6 = $96
12 2packs soakers x $17 each = $312
4 BioSoakers per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .40c each = $1460
TOTAL = $1760
Flip System (one size)
Covers $14 x 6 = $84
4 x 3packs stay dry inserts @ $12 each + 4 x 3packs organic inserts @ $20 each = $128
4 disposable per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .28c each = $1022
TOTAL = $1234
Now a few words:
I have yet to understand the benefit of having a disposable insert for your cloth diaper cover. Whoever is changing the diaper still has a wet cover to deal with, and the diaper instead of rolling up in velcro and throwing away dry on the outside is wet all over, and let me just say "biodegradable" or not, nothing is degrading in a closed landfill, especially in a plastic trash bag.
gDiaper inserts are also flushable or compostable. The other brands do not make this claim. While flushable seemed great to me at first, one of the complaints environmental experts have been making lately is increasing levels of toxicity in our sewer systems and water treatment facilities. Now waste and toilet paper have been made out of the same things for a really long time, so I don't think they are to blame. The origin has to be from chemical elements entering this environment, such as the newly popular flushable wet wipes for adults and the absorbent chemicals in flushable diapers. Composting might make this a little better than the other two inserts, but if it is toxic in the sewer, is it good for your veggies? I should also note that gPants do not work well for skinny babies, neither gCloth or gRefills are terribly absorbent, and the two piece shell concept drove me nuts.
I have not tried Grovia Shells or cotton soakers, after Flip I new I didn't care for a snap down rise. Their inserts do have gussets like a disposable diaper, which is nice for catching messes, but again these don't hold as much as a true disposable, or even a prefold.
Flip covers are good, though they run a bit big, and I am annoyed by snap down rises. They have been our work horse covers for about a year now. I am so glad thatI have found something better fitting in recent months, but they really aren't bad. That said, Flip disposable inserts are a joke. They are barely 4 inches wide, so poop will be every where and they are basically stiff paper, like a newspaper with pulpy bits inside. we got a pack for free when we spent fifty on covers and prefolds to start out, and we only used 2 or 3 before chucking them.
All of this said, if you are interested in some sort of compromise between the cloth and disposable worlds, I would recommend using the cover of your choice with gRefills and composting the wet ones, if you trust their testing that it is safe for vegetable gardens. Throw the dirty ones away or if your baby is really regular use cloth when you know they will poop, but since poop is the part most people hate, that's a little counter-intuitive.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Cost of Diapers
I guess at some point every Diaper Company has to develop their own cost comparison on types of diapers. For all cloth methods I have included 24 diapers and 6 covers, except for wool covers I only included 4 per size since fitteds will keep most poop off and they don't have to be washed as often.
Disposables average of .40c/diaper x 8 changes per day x 365 days x 2 1/2 years = $2920
All In Ones average $22 x 24 OS (0ne size) = $528, sized = $1584
Pockets average $17 x 24 OS = $408, sized = $1224
OS Fitteds average $14 x 24 = $336,
w/ 6 OS covers = $414, w/ sized covers = $570, w/ wool = $768
Sized Fitteds average $12 x 24 x 3 sizes = $864,
w/ OS covers = $942, w/ sized covers = $1098, w/ wool = $1296
Prefolds average $2 x 24 x 2 sizes = $96
w/ OS covers = 174, w/ sized covers = 330, w/ wool = 528
Flats average $1.5 x 24 = $36
w/ OS covers = $114, w/ sized covers = $270, w/ wool = $468
Mini Diapers average $10 x 24 = $240,
w/ OS covers = $318, w/ sized covers = $474
Trifolds average $7 x 24 = 168,
w/ OS covers = $246, w/sized covers = $402
Hybrid will basically be like on of the above cloth methods plus the cost of disposable inserts.
Covers average $13
OS: Econobum = $9, Flip $14, Best Bottom $17
Sized: Bummis Super Lite $10, Thirsties $12, Diaper Circus $16, AMP $16
Wool average $36 (this is very conservative)
Most parents will go with a mixed stash which will end up costing a little more, and cloth diapers require unique accessories that will normally cost around $50-75. Most calculators figure the cost of detergent, water, and electricity at about 13c/per load, and it has been proven that the manufacture of disposable requires the use of more water than that of manufacturing and washing cloth. Each method can be purchased more or less expensively, including disposable.
The most important factor to remember is that the cost of disposables is per child, while most cloth can be used for many.
Other ways to save money on cloth:
-Buy used
- Sew your own
- Sell when you are finished
Disposables average of .40c/diaper x 8 changes per day x 365 days x 2 1/2 years = $2920
All In Ones average $22 x 24 OS (0ne size) = $528, sized = $1584
Pockets average $17 x 24 OS = $408, sized = $1224
OS Fitteds average $14 x 24 = $336,
w/ 6 OS covers = $414, w/ sized covers = $570, w/ wool = $768
Sized Fitteds average $12 x 24 x 3 sizes = $864,
w/ OS covers = $942, w/ sized covers = $1098, w/ wool = $1296
Prefolds average $2 x 24 x 2 sizes = $96
w/ OS covers = 174, w/ sized covers = 330, w/ wool = 528
Flats average $1.5 x 24 = $36
w/ OS covers = $114, w/ sized covers = $270, w/ wool = $468
Mini Diapers average $10 x 24 = $240,
w/ OS covers = $318, w/ sized covers = $474
Trifolds average $7 x 24 = 168,
w/ OS covers = $246, w/sized covers = $402
Hybrid will basically be like on of the above cloth methods plus the cost of disposable inserts.
Covers average $13
OS: Econobum = $9, Flip $14, Best Bottom $17
Sized: Bummis Super Lite $10, Thirsties $12, Diaper Circus $16, AMP $16
Wool average $36 (this is very conservative)
Most parents will go with a mixed stash which will end up costing a little more, and cloth diapers require unique accessories that will normally cost around $50-75. Most calculators figure the cost of detergent, water, and electricity at about 13c/per load, and it has been proven that the manufacture of disposable requires the use of more water than that of manufacturing and washing cloth. Each method can be purchased more or less expensively, including disposable.
The most important factor to remember is that the cost of disposables is per child, while most cloth can be used for many.
Other ways to save money on cloth:
-Buy used
- Sew your own
- Sell when you are finished
Flat Love, who knew?
Where do I start?
Through all of the All-In-One/Pocket love out there I have been a stubborn prefold girl. I fail to see how they are more convenient. I stuff my pockets right out of the wash and I stuff my covers right out of the wash. Pockets are harder to stuff, and they can't be reused.
What finally inspired me to pack all of the prefolds into the closet? Some fancy, new-fangled, "convenient" diaper?
NO! It's flats!
I had wanted to try pinning, so I ordered some in a co op for a really good price, but when I got them I was still really terrible at pinning, so I just pad folded them the same way I just trifold prefolds instead of pinning them. And I fell in love!
They are so squishably soft on our babies' bottoms, not stiff and bulky like prefolds. They are so much trimmer too. They dry in no time, and are really cheap! They are cheaper than prefolds to begin with, but even more than that they are one size! I have never bought a prefold that I liked the size to begin with. I finally decided that I like them 14x14" from early infancy to potty learning,and so I made my trifolds that size. Do you know the size of a standard flat? 27x28"! Perfect.
So fold that baby in quarters and then trifold it like you would a prefold. (and by baby I mean the flat of course, you put the baby in the diaper the usual way.)
Get some organic Imagine's from Nicki's- For this price you can afford to go organic- and never look back!
Through all of the All-In-One/Pocket love out there I have been a stubborn prefold girl. I fail to see how they are more convenient. I stuff my pockets right out of the wash and I stuff my covers right out of the wash. Pockets are harder to stuff, and they can't be reused.
What finally inspired me to pack all of the prefolds into the closet? Some fancy, new-fangled, "convenient" diaper?
NO! It's flats!
I had wanted to try pinning, so I ordered some in a co op for a really good price, but when I got them I was still really terrible at pinning, so I just pad folded them the same way I just trifold prefolds instead of pinning them. And I fell in love!
They are so squishably soft on our babies' bottoms, not stiff and bulky like prefolds. They are so much trimmer too. They dry in no time, and are really cheap! They are cheaper than prefolds to begin with, but even more than that they are one size! I have never bought a prefold that I liked the size to begin with. I finally decided that I like them 14x14" from early infancy to potty learning,and so I made my trifolds that size. Do you know the size of a standard flat? 27x28"! Perfect.
So fold that baby in quarters and then trifold it like you would a prefold. (and by baby I mean the flat of course, you put the baby in the diaper the usual way.)
Get some organic Imagine's from Nicki's- For this price you can afford to go organic- and never look back!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
My husband's birthday
Yesterday was RJ's 24th birthday! We went to Abilene for the day and had so much fun.
I am so proud of my husband. He is such a good man, and wonderful father. He is just so much fun! I love spending time talking to him, and watching him play with the boys. They love him so much. We have been best friends for 6 1/2 years!
We had to take Julian to the doctor for his 4 month checkup, but we also did a lot of shopping and playing around. We always spend more than we plan to in Abilene, but we never seem to regret it. We went to the Contemporary Art Center and Monks Coffee Shop. This is the Kiwanis Club fountain next door to Monks.
So now for a little more about my husband: He is the perfect combination of sexy and nerdy. He loves anything crafty and creative, and can pretty much figure out how to make anything. He makes newsboy hats and beanies, messenger bags, journals, and sketch books. He loves gardening, especially water gardens and vegetables. We got him a wheel barrow and some blown glass solar powered lights for his birthday. He is right now in the process of getting some salvaged wood, from a friend who tears down old barns and houses, for our raised beds, and getting some billboard tarps to recycle for pond liners. Such an eco-friendly guy. He does any poopy diaper dunking that needs to be done, and frequently washes the dishes to save my poor dry hands. His favorite food is homemade bean burritoes with cheetos and ranch dressing. He would sleep in his Klash if I let him(Buy Shoes. Save Lives.). He has this crazy wild mohawk-y hair that I love. His skin is this beautiful tan/brown color, and he has green eyes with this crown of amber in them. He is just the right size for me in every way, and though this is a strange thing to say about a guy, his skin is so soft. I love it because I have eczema and my skin has never been soft at all. He is perfect (well almost) and I love him so much!
Monday, April 11, 2011
What I Love About Cloth Diapering
Stewardship
many people list good for the environment and good for your budget separately, but to me they are one and the same issue. I am responsible for being wise about the resources I use. I can not justify spending so much of my husband's hard earned money on something that I throw away, nor can I have peace about throwing away something that requires so many non-renewable resources to produce and will spend eternity occupying a space of land that cannot be used for anything else now.
Convenience
This may be the opposite of what you think. Isn't it easier to throw away a messy diaper than to wash it? Yes, but only a little bit, in my opinion. Meanwhile, it is very inconvenient to me to load the boys into the car and go in and out of the store every time I run out of diapers. I am doing laundry most of the time anyway, so one more load makes very little difference.
Special-ness
Most people will list as their final reason "The Cuteness Factor" but with an, "I have to admit..." or something attached, like it's a guilty pleasure, or unnecessary luxury. I've always kind of blown it off as a non-reason, but I've come to realize that it is actually a major reason for me too. But I wouldn't exactly name it cuteness. It is important to me that my babies have the best that I can give them. Why would I put them in something made in a mass assembly factory out of paper and plastic, when I can give them something beautiful, soft and healthy made by a mom to support her family, or at least in a small factory in the U.S. or Canada that pays people a fair wage?
Buying from local sustainable businesses or especially from work at home moms, is so homogeneous with our way of life. It just feels so right to me in so many ways to support small business.
Even more so, however, it is best for my babies. How many hours during pregnancy do we spend choosing the best blankets and pacifiers and bottles (neither of the last two do I even use any more). We want to choose everything. We are so particular about each and every item we buy or register for our babies. Their clothes and toys and books and toiletries ad infinitum. Why, after all that, would I put trash on their bottom?
I guess that has gripped me more than ever lately- the word disposable- what does that mean, but that from the minute it leaves the factory presses it is destined to be trash. Disposable diapers are precious resources created to be thrown away. Yuck. Why would I wrap my baby in that?
many people list good for the environment and good for your budget separately, but to me they are one and the same issue. I am responsible for being wise about the resources I use. I can not justify spending so much of my husband's hard earned money on something that I throw away, nor can I have peace about throwing away something that requires so many non-renewable resources to produce and will spend eternity occupying a space of land that cannot be used for anything else now.
Convenience
This may be the opposite of what you think. Isn't it easier to throw away a messy diaper than to wash it? Yes, but only a little bit, in my opinion. Meanwhile, it is very inconvenient to me to load the boys into the car and go in and out of the store every time I run out of diapers. I am doing laundry most of the time anyway, so one more load makes very little difference.
Special-ness
Most people will list as their final reason "The Cuteness Factor" but with an, "I have to admit..." or something attached, like it's a guilty pleasure, or unnecessary luxury. I've always kind of blown it off as a non-reason, but I've come to realize that it is actually a major reason for me too. But I wouldn't exactly name it cuteness. It is important to me that my babies have the best that I can give them. Why would I put them in something made in a mass assembly factory out of paper and plastic, when I can give them something beautiful, soft and healthy made by a mom to support her family, or at least in a small factory in the U.S. or Canada that pays people a fair wage?
Buying from local sustainable businesses or especially from work at home moms, is so homogeneous with our way of life. It just feels so right to me in so many ways to support small business.
Even more so, however, it is best for my babies. How many hours during pregnancy do we spend choosing the best blankets and pacifiers and bottles (neither of the last two do I even use any more). We want to choose everything. We are so particular about each and every item we buy or register for our babies. Their clothes and toys and books and toiletries ad infinitum. Why, after all that, would I put trash on their bottom?
I guess that has gripped me more than ever lately- the word disposable- what does that mean, but that from the minute it leaves the factory presses it is destined to be trash. Disposable diapers are precious resources created to be thrown away. Yuck. Why would I wrap my baby in that?
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