Cloth diapering

One plunge we have taken this time around that we didn't when Katie was younger is using cloth diapers. I started when Benjamin was about a week old with six bumGenius 4.0 diapers I bought from Nurtured Family with money that was given to us as a baby gift. We have since had one FuzziBunz one-size diaper added to our stash as a gift and I'm planning to order another 6 FuzziBunz next week.

Benjamin sporting his Bluberry FuzziBunz diaper--doesn't he look adorable?!

So far, cloth diapering is working really well for me and I really don't know why I ever hesitated! Changing diapers doesn't really take any extra time, and one extra load of laundry during the day really isn't a big deal. With the seven diapers we have, I use about one disposable per day. Once we have the extra 6 diapers, we will have about $230 worth of diapers plus some accessories (a diaper pail, a wet bag for the diaper bag, cloth wipes, and cloth wipes solution). The diapers will definitely pay for themselves over the next couple years, and even more so if we are able to use them for another baby, which I anticipate we will! Happy Housewife has a great cost breakdown here that even includes the cost of electricity to wash them.

While cost was definitely a large consideration in our decision to switch to cloth diapers, stewardship was a close second. While I was pregnant with Benjamin, I read an article about diapers (I don't remember where) that said they take over 200 years to break down in landfills and the average baby uses one ton of diapers from birth to potty training. Now, I'm not super green, but I do believe God requires us to be good stewards of what He has provided and I don't think unnecessarily putting thousands of pounds of diapers in landfills during the course of my childbearing years is very good stewardship.  Additionally, most brands of disposable diapers have harsh chemicals in them that aren't very good for our sweet babies!


What about y'all? Cloth or disposable, or both?

As a side, Katie is still in disposable diapers and we don't plan to switch her over. She only uses a few diapers each day and will hopefully potty train in the not-too-distant future.

This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday and Frugal Friday.