feeling di$couraged about cloth dipe$

[GodChick]

*sigh* i've been getting all excited about trying cloth dipes . . . and then i browsed the net and saw how expensive they are. . . and how many there are and how many different kinds there are . . with inner and outer stuff to go with them!! :eek dih--i have been clueless!! :laughtears i know about how they save $ over sposies . . but the startup cost=wow!! i'm getting spooked about it now because i don't know which kind to try and can't spend the $$ to buy a bunch of sample dipes! :( and i could prob only get a starter set w/ 12 dipes . . . and do i REALLY think i'm going to launder dipes every day??? i already fall behind on the laundry. :blush

is it actually safe/sanitary to buy usede dipes on ebay? :/

[Meredith]

I don't have any problem with buying used dipes on Ebay- I just wash them in hot water. I also got a bunch from folks right here on GCM- it's worth looking!

[ChristineG]

It is definitely safe and sanitary to buy used diapers.

However, what about buying prefolds and a snappi and a few great covers? Brand new prefolds are fairly inexpensive and many people swear by them. Paired with good covers, they are absorbent, economical and even dry quickly. You don't need to use expensive diapers to cloth diaper successfully. In case you haven't heard of them, snappis are special plastic closures (look like a T) for prefolds or flat diapers so that you can avoid the use of pins. I haven't personally used them, but many moms here have and think they are fantastic.

I actually have a diaper business, making and selling fitted diapers. This is what many people want and really like. This is what I first started using when I had our first baby and I still love using and making them. They are fantastic at containing blowouts (My diapers and most fitted diapers never leak poop like disposables do on occasion...you know the whole up the back and out the sides thing?) and are extremely trim and absorbent. However, I have been thinking seriously of starting to carry prefolds because of just what you are saying. Lots of people may be turned off of switching to cloth because of the start-up costs and I think this is really very sad. One of the main reasons we cloth diaper is to save money and I hate to see people reconsider because of start up costs.

Do you sew at all? Prefolds are extremely easy to sew and you could make a bunch for next to nothing. You can find instructions at this site: http://www.diapersewing.com/ While hemp prefolds are the Cadillac of prefolds, don't let this fool you. You don't have to have the Cadillac of everything. Basic cotton prefolds work very well and you could buy twice or three times as many for the price of hemp. Please don't get unexcited because of the costs you see. It doesn't have to be this way. :heart

I should add, in defense of the expensive diapers you are seeing, that when I started my diaper business, I was amazed at how much time it took to sew diapers as well as the cost of all the materials when I put them together. So, just so you don't think that the cloth diaper makers are trying to take advantage of anyone, they aren't. They are really hardly making any money!

[DogwoodMama]

I agree... there are ways to keep costs down by going a simple route with prefolds, or some basic pockets and stuff them with pre-folds or microfiber towels... You can always get a basic system going and then if you wanted to add some AIOs for going out then it would be easy enough to do. I know someone who just folds prefolds in thirds and lays them inside a Bummis super-whisper wrap cover (it has a little flap to hold it in place), and that is their system... super easy and very cheap! And bummis do a pretty good job with the poop.

You *can* find some good deals out there on fitteds though, used, & I have NO PROBLEM with used diapers, about half my dd's are used. If you're contemplating buying from "outside" of GCM, feel free to PM me or someone else to find out if it's a reasonable deal! Or if you figure out what you want, post it here & we can try to help you find a good deal or package or at least point you to some good resources! :tu

[godsgracegiven]

I agree Ebay should be fine but even if you do buy new, you can always keep them for the next baby or resell them. :)

[Roma]

I don't have any problem with buying used dipes on Ebay- I just wash them in hot water. I also got a bunch from folks right here on GCM- it's worth looking!

ditto. it is really the way to go in the beginning until you figure out which system works for you.

[gentlemama]

I am one of those cheap people. I cloth diaper the same way my mom did 20 years ago. A bunch of very thick prefolds, a pair of sharp pins, and gerber plastic pants (3 for $2). I have a few bummis covers that I love, but mostly I have to use the gerber pants because they are cheap. Got it all for around $50 and has lasted for two kids so far.

[milkmommy]

I am one of those cheap people. I cloth diaper the same way my mom did 20 years ago. A bunch of very thick prefolds, a pair of sharp pins, and gerber plastic pants (3 for $2). I have a few bummis covers that I love, but mostly I have to use the gerber pants because they are cheap. Got it all for around $50 and has lasted for two kids so far.


I did the same thing till DH who refused to use them :giggle finially agreed to get some better ones. I liked the system though thoug hI absoultly hated the geber covers maybe the heat here but they gave my DD open bleeding sores :eek and they fell apart fast (even hand washing) I LOVE though my dappi pull on covers! Here is a great simple package, It can diaper your baby for two to three days.
http://www.mtdiaperstore.com/product_info.php?cPath=0_40&products_id=124
Deanna

[Close2MyHeart]

The cost of cloth has turned me off too. The ONLY way I'd use them is buying the all in ones or something very, very easy to use like that. Otherwise DH wouldn't help either...

My other hang up is that w/ 3 kids ages 4, 3, and 20 mos I'm so busy that I don't know that I'd have the extra time to do them. I think I probably would... but maybe I'm just too lazy to start. I have thought about using them if/when we ahve another baby. Karah is talking about going potty, so I'm not sure how much longer she'll be in diapers, so I don't know that it would be worth it for me to try C.D. her...

This is crazy!! 2 years ago I never would have THOUGHT about cloth diapering!!

[milkmommy]

The cost of cloth has turned me off too. The ONLY way I'd use them is buying the all in ones or something very, very easy to use like that. Otherwise DH wouldn't help either...

My other hang up is that w/ 3 kids ages 4, 3, and 20 mos I'm so busy that I don't know that I'd have the extra time to do them. I think I probably would... but maybe I'm just too lazy to start. I have thought about using them if/when we ahve another baby. Karah is talking about going potty, so I'm not sure how much longer she'll be in diapers, so I don't know that it would be worth it for me to try C.D. her...

This is crazy!! 2 years ago I never would have THOUGHT about cloth diapering!!


My SIL uses cloth she has 4 kids and two are in cloth and she works. She uses simple prefolds and covers just trifolding them so no pins and used disposables for nighttime the sitter and outtings. Cloth still allows her to save but doesn't overtake her life. Part time CD might be a way to go.
I also got a few simple AIOs just gor DH to use honestly he just wasn't home for the majority of the changes so geetting an entire system JUST for him seemed silly untill we had the oppurnuity to have a fancier system for both of us. I got him 5 prorap AIOs cheep and very simple!

Deanna

[LauraK]

Just to say I have had good luck buying used diapers off of diaperpin.com. They have a forum. You can get cheaper and better diapers than through e-bay in my limited experience. It is worth a look!

Most of my stash was bought used.

[GodChick]

Just recently found out that FB sells seconds, new, on ebay. So we're going to go that route to get some and see if we like them. They're new, but they're seconds-quality. If we like 'em, we may invest in some first-qualities. :tu

[Roma]

there are a ton of seconds up now

[Love_Is_Patient]

Just wanted to say that we use the Gerber prefolds and plastic pants too and they work just fine for us (even though the internet sites we researched on before starting warned that they wouldn't). My husband doesn't like using pins, but we have a few covers that velcro too and so he can just fold the diaper and use those, no pins. So far that works pretty well. When he was a new born we used flats but now that hes grown I need to double them in order to have enough absorbent layers.

[IslandMama]

I totally understand where you're coming from. Honestly, you will see the savings once you start using CDs... I've tried just about every dipe out there, and have to say the most economical choice for me is using prefolds (Gerber DSQ work well too). All of my dipes are used, unless I've sewn them myself. I use Bumkins covers (with velcro) my absolute favorite, no blow outs! and you can pin or use a snappi during the day with cheap Gerber or even better, Dappi pull on covers... Try starting with 2 doz dipes, and you'll probably do laundry every other day at least. If you look around, you probably can start under about $50! Or, why don't you buy as much as you can now, then next month, buy more as your budget allows. Just think, using just 3 CDs a day equals 21 sposie diapers you don't have to buy in one week! Wow! :tu The savings will add up! Don't give up, you can do it! ;)

Anita

[BeckaBlue]

I started cloth just because i was running out of sposies between paychecks and needed an inbetween. then i went FT once we got our tax return last yr :tu i also did the gerber's prefolds and the gerber pants, i also did have a couple other covers and a few fitteds i won really cheap on ebay. over time i got more wraps and jsut recently got some from a gcm'er and am all pockets and aio's pretty much! :tu

dh was never an issue w/ dipes, he VERY RARELY changed them anyways! and i wasn't leavin him to handwash or dunk in the pot, so he said fine and went with it. he has enjoyed me being so excited about new dipes, :lol gotta admit, if i had the money i woulda spent thousands on cute fluff by now! but i'm still well under $300 (and i think maybe even $200) and that's jsut cuz ive changed my stash a few times, even thoguh i didn't even need to really. and it was all very spread out (a pack of prefolds was only $12 and a pack of pullons were only 6 for $4, and i bought them over a bit of time!)

oh my i see how many seconds they have up now!! I WANT THEM!!!!! lol!! *sigh* oh well, don't really need them anyways

[GodChick]

Or, why don't you buy as much as you can now, then next month, buy more as your budget allows. Just think, using just 3 CDs a day equals 21 sposie diapers you don't have to buy in one week!

that's a great idea! i hadn't thought about that-- i don't know why i was thinking of an all-or-nothing scenario. but every cloth dipe i use is money saved, and chemicals off her bum. i can always just keep adding cloth dipes gradually. :tu now if i can just manage to wash the dipes every day along with getting the regular laundry done!! :O