Adventures in Cloth Diapering: Where we are at 2.

I know I posted about our cloth diaper experiences through 1 year old, but I thought I'd update now that Dois is 2 to share all things cloth-diaper related in our world.

What types of cloth diapers do you use?
I wish I could be the type of person to use only one brand/kind, but I'm not.
The diaper that Dois wears most often are Bumgenius 4.0s. I bought most of them as seconds and they came without inserts. Others I bought secondhand on diaperswappers.We started with Aplix diapers, but the Aplix started to curl and not stick, so I traded a bunch of my Aplix ones for snaps. Unfortunately, a few months later our daycare provider requested that we return to Aplix, so then I had to buy some new Aplix ones (I kept the snaps, though). I would say we have approximately 8 snap diapers and 6 Aplix ones. I will note here that I still prefer the snaps, as once again the Aplix ones are starting to wear.

We don't use microfiber in our diapers, though. I have a variety of items that I stuff them with, hemp + bamboo being the best combination for our heavy wetter. Some of the inserts I love include JoeyBunz hemp inserts (we have both regular and premium), Alva Baby bamboo inserts, Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo hemp inserts, and CottonBabies preemie sized prefolds (for added protection in the wetzone).

Monday through Friday Bumgenius 4.0s are our go-to diapers. On the weekends and at night, though, we like to mix it up a bit.

Overnight I prefer to have natural fibers (not suedecloth like is in the BGs) against Dois' skin. I prefer to use fitteds for the long stretch of sleep due to how absorbent they are. We have two from Twinkie Tush and two from BuBuBeBe. Both brands are fabulous WAHM (work-at-home-mom) companies that make diapers that are large enough to fit big boys like mine (more on that in a minute). WAHM fitteds can be pricey, but let me be the first to tell you that they are DEFINITELY worth the price! On top of his fitted I either use a Swaddlebees Capri cover or a pair of fleece pants (fleece is not absorbent but it wicks away moisture; if you have enough absorbency in your diaper, you won't have leaks).

On the weekends I use a variety of "other options" (to save our BGs for daycare). I have three Flip diaper covers that I use with several different options: organic cotton inserts, Thirsties Duo hemp prefolds (size 2), or Peanutbutter and Ellie organic bamboo velour prefolds. I also have a dozen Imagine Smartfit prefolds that I LOVE and use paired with a Swaddlebees Capri cover.

Isn't it gross dealing with toddler poop? 
I think this is a common question from people familiar with disposables, and one I asked myself (since I didn't use cloth with Bebe) before I had Dois. The answer? No. When we've had to use disposables with Dois, I've found them to be much, much grosser. I mean, with cloth, I take the diaper off and plop his poop into the toilet and flush. With a disposable diaper, it would sit in our trash and smell... and get gross. Yes, we've been blessed with "ploppable poop" but even when it's not, there are ways of getting it off fairly easily (I hold the diaper in the toilet with a pair of tongs designated for this use and swish/flush).

But ewww there's poop in your washing machine!
Yes, but when your child pukes do you throw out the clothes he/she was wearing? If you bleed on something do you toss it? No! You wash it!

What's the laundry like?
I'm the QUEEN of I-hate-laundry, so it's something when I say that it's not that bad. It really isn't. My wash routine goes something like this: 1 rinse cycle for any diapers with poop on them, 1 rinse cycle for all diapers, one "super wash" cycle, an additional cold rinse cycle, then one cold rinse cycle. I dry everything together on low for one cycle, then remove all the pocket diaper shells and covers and dry the remaining inserts and prefolds for another cycle on low. If anything, the most challenging thing has been finding the right detergent. I have tried many and although it's not recommended, the only thing that works with our hard water for me seems to be Ultra Tide powder. So it is what it is.

How much have cloth diapers cost you so far?
We've probably spent about $600 in cloth diapers thus far. For 2 years' worth of diapering. Whenever I have to pick up a pack of disposables and spend $20 for it, I can't help but catch myself thinking, "I could buy another diaper for this price!"

Do you really think cloth will last you until potty training?
I'm not sure, but I'm really going to try. Bebe did not potty train until she was almost 4. I'm hoping that's NOT the case with Dois. He's long and lean and because of this, many of his cloth diapers are beginning to look like bikinis (see photo above--that's a Flip cover with a PB&E bamboo insert). The diapers we have that I think will fit him the longest are the Swaddlebees Capri covers, the Imagine Smartfit Prefolds, and his Twinkie Tush and BuBuBeBe fitteds. 

Thanks for reading this! If you have any questions not addressed here, please feel free to ask!