cloth diapering, a love story

I posted a couple of weeks ago how we were trying out cloth diapers for JJ. We had our trial pack in hand, and we weren't afraid to use them. JJ took to them quite easily, and we, his parents, found it was easier to use the more absorbent pods and do laundry everyday than to go through a box of several hundred disposables in about a week's time.

Since that last post, we are full-time users of the Soft Bums cloth diapers, and we're using the bamboo/organic cotton blend inserts. All in all, we spent under $400 for 24 one-size inserts, 8 newborn inserts and 8 shells. This combined with the two shells and some of the Stay Dry inserts we got with our trial pack means we're pretty well set. It's been really easy to use the Soft Bums because the inserts hold a massive amount of pee and poo--something JJ has become quite proficient in. Plus, they change with the ease of a disposable.

And I don't have to make any midnight runs to the grocery store to get more diapers because we just ran out at 10pm.

I told a buddy last night that I'm glad we're using the cloth diapers. He said, "I don't think that's something I'd ever be glad about." I meant, I'm glad we have the cloth diapers because of the overall cost of buying the big pack of disposables every week versus the one time cost of the cloth. It's true that the smell of day-old pee and poo in the wet bag is one of the more revolting things I've ever smelled in my life, but they clean oh so easily!

I just put another load in the washer and have a load of inserts in the dryer. That's much more comfortable than competing with other dads in the diaper aisle at Wal-Mart on a Saturday.

It's official!

We ordered our Soft Bums last week, and they arrived yesterday! Kelly got the organic bamboo set, so JJ is pooping in velvety organic style! Kelly wanted to make sure we had the shells and inserts washed and dried and ready to go last night, so this morning we put one on JJ after his bath. (Kelly's going to a mom's reunion for her prenatal pilates class, so she wanted him smelling sweet and clean.)

We decided we liked the Soft Bums so much, we just wanted to stick with them, particularly since they're one size, and we can fine tune the size adjustment. The drawstring and velcro make it really easy! And, from a dad's perspective, they go on much like a disposable, so that's easy enough.

My mom in visiting for a few days, and already she's sent us out on two dates! It's great to have a babysitter for JJ, but even better to reconnect with Kelly as husband and wife. It's so easy to get caught up in the reality of being parents, especially with a newborn, that we forget who we are as a couple. We went to Outback in Midtown Memphis last night and got our favorites--including the seared ahi tuna and chocolate thunder plus wine! It was definitely a celebration!

So, this is our third weekend as a family of three, and we're enjoying it. This week, I started a new job teaching at a high school, and it's been great to have time in the afternoons and evenings with JJ and Kelly. What a blessing!

cloth diaper trial parte 2

We had the Soft Bums on him for a couple of hours, and it worked well. We put in a newborn insert, and had it on him for a couple of hours. After two hours of having it on him, we checked him because we hadn't heard any of the normal wet or dirty diaper whimpering (this child only cries when he's hungry, apparently--counting my blessings!). Sure enough, his skin was dry though the microfleece insert had pee and poop. We were impressed with how dry he felt!

We went ahead and changed him and put on a disposable (yes, I know) as we were going to our friends' house. We definitely liked the Soft Bums, but we have a few more kinds to try. I'll let you know. From a dad's perspective, though, this seemed very easy to put on him and change. (Though Kelly actually did all the diaper maneuvers for this trial run, I was right there, so I stand by my use of "seemed" here.)

We got the Echo System Basic Pack as a trial run from Amazon.

snow day

So I started a new job this week, but the school district called a snow day for today, so I get to spend one more day home with K & JJ.

We're trying out the cloth diaper thing today. We've gotten some samples of different cloth diapers, and now that his umbilical cord fell out last night, we're ready to start with our real boy!

K put him in a Soft Bums diaper with a newborn insert. K thinks he may still be a little small (well past his 8 pound birthweight), but at any rate, we'll see how he does.