Cloth Galore!

I finally have enough diapers in this house to go 2-3 days without washing! That's been my goal from the beginning and I've been very slowly adding to the coffers since the twins were born. We started with a very small stash and I was only able to put them on the babies a few times a day. I relished seeing their little booties in cloth though! Then we moved, and I was using ONLY money sucking toss-away paper diapers. I almost gave up! I justified it to myself by saying I had three in diapers. I had twins. I just moved. I do laundry for 8 people already. But every stinkin pack of Huggies I had to spend money on was killing me. And every time I threw a diaper in the trash I felt like I was burning my money.

There are lots of other good reasons to use cloth diapers. They are better for the environment. They're cute. They're cheaper (they don't have to be cheaper but the potential is there, especially if you buy used). And seriously, would you wear paper underware? Then why would you put that on your baby? Izzy loves her soft, comfy cotton diapeys. There is also some concern about chemicals used in "sposies". I know Hannah was particularly sensitive to them.

So I know all those things but at the time it was just easier to use Huggies.

And then my friend Sara came over. She uses cloth with her twin girls and I just loved her system. I decided to kick my hodge podge out of the house and build ONE complete diapering system that all three kids can use.

I bought a dozen of these in size small and Sara loaned me another dozen. Then I bought 4 of these for the twins and my friend Nikki gave me a GARBAGE BAG full of wool longies and soakers and a ton of fitteds to go underneath. All for Isabella! So she was set. Then I found 20 of of the Kissaluvs Contours in a larger size on an online forum for a steal of a price (Ben has quite the cheeky butt) and I purchased a Little Beetle Merino Wool Soaker Shorts to wear over them at nighttime (it's so yummy!). Yesterday I purchased a dozen more premium prefolds for Isabella because she's figured out how to get the fitteds off but still doesn't have a grasp on the Snappi--yet. I also snapped up two more wool soakers for five dollars for B&C. Unheard of price!

So now I have a very complete, very simple stash:

Isabella has 2 dozen premium sized prefolds which I Snappi on her and then cover with either Gerber plastic pants (yes, those same things our mothers used years ago--cheap and she's less likely to take them off) or something wool with a tie that I double knot. ;) She also has a few fitteds here and there that we try to convince her to keep on her booty (with limited success).

Claire has 2 dozen small Kissaluvs Contours which are just flat, shaped diapers that wrap around and then get snappied in place. She has two Thirsties covers in pink and lavendar and two small wool soakers made out of old sweaters. One in pink stripe and one in green.

They share 2 dozen infant sized prefolds that we've had foreva!

Ben has 20 large Kissaluvs Contours, one very cool skull and cross bones fitted, the Little Beetle soaker shorts and a wool soaker made out of an old sweater in addition to his blue and red Thirties covers.

And then we have a variety of old Bum Genius 1.0 pocket diapers with stuffers that we use for wash day and to fill in the holes. Those were Isabella's when she was a baby and are still holding up just fine after about a billion washes. They are starting to get a bit snug on her, though.

So there you go. Those of you who know nothing about cloth diapers are a bit more educated and those that do are thinking--shit that's a lot of diapers! They have their own little cabinet that's stuffed full of sweet smelling diapers after wash day ends. I've heard fabulous things about Maggie's Soap Nuts so I'm hoping to purchase a sack this month and avoid any build up problems as we have really hard water here. I go through a big box of borax once a month.

My only wants right now are about a dozen more Snappi's (we have three and I'm always hunting for a missing one), a couple of various sized wet bags (this one is so yummy), and a big bottle of Tea Tree Oil. Oh and these, which are out of stock everywhere but look oh so yummy!

It's nice to know that I never have to spend another dollar on diapers that I don't want to and honestly, with what we were loaned, given, and my stellar bargain shopping I've diapered these three kids for less than $250! That includes the wool wash, liquid lanolin, Snappi's, and all the diapers!

And there is just nothing cuter than a baby booty covered in cloth: