can anyone give me an honest estimate of the time difference between the two? Is it just the washing that takes time or does it take longer to change the baby as well. Thank you.
Been using cloth for almost a year, it does not take that long at all......one load of laundry every 3 days.......and changing the baby it's just as fast.
It does take a bit to get used to it and get it going but after while....piece of cake:)
The time difference...
hmm... washing the diapers takes a few (active) minutes every few days... and then stuffing/sizing a load of diapers (if you get pockets) might take 15-20 minutes at a leisurely pace. I stuff my diaper and then put them in a drawer so they are "ready to go"- so when I do a diaper change they take no longer than a disposable. I usually sit on the couch and stuff them while i watch TV. Washing them is easy, since i pull out the inserts when I put the diapers in the diaper bin, al i have to do is literally throw the diapers into the washer, add detergent and go...(i do do an extra rinse cycle, which all i have to do is hit a button) then take them out and put them in the dryer. Stuff.
It would take a little longer with the "old fashioned" cloth diapers.
The time doesn't bother me though because we never have to do midnight diaper runs, and i don't have to buy diapers at the grocery store. The extra work really is not that much, when you consider the amount of money you save. If you get pocket, you will find that you can stuff them in record time after just a few washes.
I am far from a "super crunch mom"- but I would say all in all diapers are no more work than a basic load of laundry is. So imagine doing one more load of laundry a week- and saving tons by doing so...
-M.
It doesn't take long at all to wash cloth diapers. It's just a load of laundry. You don't have to go to the store to buy diapers or wipes. You just always have them. I loved cloth diapering.
*I don't think it takes any extra time to change baby at all.
*It does take a minute longer if you are out and about because you don't just throw the diaper away. You put it in a special wetbag to take home.
*If you buy enough diapers for 2 days worth, you wash a load every day or so and you barely notice.
*Pocket diapers take longer because you have to re-insert the absorbant pad before use. I love All-In-Ones (AIO).
You will need to change baby more often, about every 2-3 hours. Disposables can go 4-5 hours if baby isn't a big drinker.
Keep a trash can lined with a large bag (made from the same PUL material), put diapers and cloth wipes (super cheap) in can, close lid. When needed, wash in cold, and then line dry or put in dryer. Take out and "fold" or organize and put back on changing table.
I am using cloth diapers for one of my clients. Changes don't take any longer than with disposable. I do not launder the diapers, but they really seem to work out well.
M.
The more you practice with cloth nappies, the quicker you get! I used to actually "pre-fold" the nappies so at changing time it was just a question of removing the wet / dirty one, clean baby, slip on the cloth nappy, fasten and pull a waterproof over the lot. I have to admit, though, that it's not just the nappies which need to be washed and sanitised! No matter how good you get at folding - cloth nappies ALWAYS leak ... it's just the amount that varies! This means having to wash baby, baby clothes, bedding, your clothes etc WAY more than when using disposables. Kids on cloth nappies also tend to get more rashes and need to be changed WAY more often than ones using disposable nappies. Honestly, considering the huge amount of extra laundry you need to do, I don't think cloth nappies are better for our environment at all! I changed over to disposables as soon as I could afford to. Best of luck with your decision ... and (if you go the cloth route) May The Force Be With You!! :)
For me, just the washing. I used all in ones so once they were washed, dried, stuffed and put in the nursery, it was like using a disposable. The washing really wasn't too bad, but it did require flushing, rinsing and then washing/drying. Like someone else said, another load per week. I do use disposables a lot more than I planned, but the covers continue to come in handy for my not 100% trained DD...slap a cover over her training pants and off we go. When you look at prices, consider that your diapers could last you til potty training.
I use Flip diapers so it's a tiny bit more time to change than a disposable. I have to pick up the insert and throw it in the bin, wipe the hiney, and put a new insert on the cover and then snap it closed. I am on my second child with the same diapers so I have probably saved over a thousand dollars. (My oldest was allergic so we were buying organic diapers and changing her every 1-3 hours in disposable and she was still getting a rash, so we switched to cloth. She had one rash in 15 months of cloth diapers.)
So it might take a little bit longer but they lasted us one kid through potty training and we are 6 months in on the second child. :) So they have been well worth it for us! :)
Now that I only have one child in cloth I only have to do one load of diaper laundry about every 4-5 days. So that I hardly consider time spent it's nothing. :)
Just washing. Really. I use a snappi, so it is pin less as well.
after awhile it's not any more time consuming to change a cloth diaper, and I use prefolds and covers, which are probably the worst for being hard to change. You get good at it though and it's no big deal.
Washing takes awhile and you have to fold them or stuff them or whatever, and you have to change baby more often, but having used disposables with 3 kids and using cloth for baby number 4 (and I will with number 5 here too) I would much rather use cloth.
