We have started using cloth diapers with Violet and it is going fabulously well! We went to a few used kids-clothing stores and bought about 8 pre-folds (that's the fancy name for the soft white cotton towel-like things that you fold to go directly against the baby's bum), and then we bought (for near to nothing compared to what they cost new) two outer diaper wraps (these go over the pre-folds, and are a bit rubbery and water proof; they protect her pants from getting wet and soiled). Also, we bought a handy little contraption called a Snappi that you use instead of diaper pins. You can read about it here . She is still wearing a disposable diaper at night, and anytime we have a major event or outing I tend to put her in a disposable simply because I'm still figuring out how long she can go in a cloth diaper before having to be changed, but for the most part we are using all cloth and it is going very well. The hardest part so far seems to be coming up with a good system for this whole thing--- I think we now have enough cloth diapers where we will only have to do laundry every 3 days or so-- but figuring out what to do with the dirty diapers while they wait to be laundered has taken some thought. Letting them soak in a bucket of water with mild soap seems to work pretty well, as long as I remember to change the water every night :)
The most amazing part of this whole diaper experiment is realizing how flexible and adaptable Violet really is. She does seem to know the difference between cloth and disposable diapers, and has put up a protest a few times when we try to put her in a cloth one (I think they do feel a little strange to her; she is not completely used to them yet)... but basically as long as Tyler and I have everything on our end figured out, she is fine adapting to the situation.
While this concept may seem fairly simple, it is actually, I think, pretty huge.
It's huge because for quite some time now I have been thinking of this India trip as something that is going to be really hard on Violet simply because a lot of things are unknown, and inevitably a lot of things will be different, and that will be a stress on her. But I am realizing more and more that beside the main difference of not being at home in a familiar place, she probably won't notice or be affected too much by many of these differences. Most of the stresses will be on Tyler and myself (i.e. we'll have to boil all the water, we'll have to thoroughly cook all of the fruits and vegetables, we'll have to make sure we have mosquito nets, we'll have to make sure she has diapers of some kind that are clean and safe, etc....) Really, as long as we can figure out some way to create a safe and comfortable daily life for her, she will be fine.
The stress is on us, as the parents. And I believe in us, as parents.
We may not have much, but we do seem to have an ability to make what we do have work for us, and make the situation appealing and normal for our child. Violet isn't going to have to be the one to make certain things, (like cloth diapers) work--- it's really up to us as her parents to figure out how to do things so that they work for her.
And that, my friends, I think.... I hope..... I'm pretty sure.... we can do.
-Rachel
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Diapers
So.... I'm thinking of doing cloth diapers with Violet while we're in India. From everyone I've talked with, it's really the way its done there. Laundry is sent out, and there isn't much of this wall-to-wall carpet action, so children are potty trained at a much earlier age and accidents are wiped up off the floor. Also, my sources tell me that disposable diapers are a bit hard to find, and a bit pricy.... So, cotton-bottom here we come!
Do what is done in India.
Simple. right?
Well, actually, it's taken me about 4 months to feel fine about this decision. I'm just so used to doing things the way I do them. It's not easy to figure out a routine when you are a first time parent, and so once you have one down, I think it's really hard to sway away from it. We buy our horrible disposable diapers at Costco. They are easy in every way. And they have zebras on them. When one is soiled, we roll it into a little ball, put it in the diaper genie, and off it goes. No smell. No effort. And it goes away so easily and quickly that even the guilt of using disposable diapers is [almost] completely taken care of.
Funny-- I never ever ever ever thought I would use disposable diapers on my kid-- but now that I'm a mom, I get it. Cloth diapers = more laundry, more fuss, more thought, more up-front money-- all things to be avoided in every day life when you're a first-time mommy, if possible.
But India is challenging me to rethink all of this a little. America is one thing, but if the norm in India is to use cloth diapers, and if the whole point of going on this trip is to experience India, why should I try to force this issue? I have had several suggestions from other moms-- have diapers shipped half way through, have any visitors form the states bring some with them when they come, or even just pack three suitcases full and hope they'll last....
But a good [Indian] friend put it best when she said: The trail of garbage is very visible in India. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable brining 300 disposable diapers into the country knowing that they'll stay there for the rest of my life.
Really, what right do we have to bring these horrendous things into a country whose own people don't use them and whose garbage system may not even be able to handle them?
Of course, the later part of this question applies to anywhere on earth-- even Seattle. Violet's diapers will outlive her no matter where we are.
That is just the truth.
Anyway, I am doing my research, and trying to figure out the best cloth diapers to buy.
Here is some advice from a friend who, bless her soul, already uses cloth diapers on her kid (and they aren't even going to India!)
"i have a mix of bum genius and fuzzi bunz diapers. i like the snaps on the fuzzi bunz but i think the bum genius leak less. if i were buying more/again, i'd stick to the bum genius. i have 16 diapers and do laundry every other day. i also bought some inserts that are made of hemp (called superdo or something) to put in for night-time or longer stretches since the cloth probably need to be changed every 2-3 hours or they'll leak. that worked for a while at night but we recently converted to huggies overnight disposables for nighttime cuz he was still waking up covered in pee. sadly, we have to put him in disposables for daycare.
if you want to come over and check out my stash of cloth diapers, i'm happy to show them to you at some point. you can go to the diaper lady in ballard and check out pretty much any type of diaper you hear about. look at http://punkernoodlebaby.com/ if you wanted her info. i went to her house to look at stuff but i bought my diapers in bulk online from the cheapest place i could find them.
good luck!!"
Do what is done in India.
Simple. right?
Well, actually, it's taken me about 4 months to feel fine about this decision. I'm just so used to doing things the way I do them. It's not easy to figure out a routine when you are a first time parent, and so once you have one down, I think it's really hard to sway away from it. We buy our horrible disposable diapers at Costco. They are easy in every way. And they have zebras on them. When one is soiled, we roll it into a little ball, put it in the diaper genie, and off it goes. No smell. No effort. And it goes away so easily and quickly that even the guilt of using disposable diapers is [almost] completely taken care of.
Funny-- I never ever ever ever thought I would use disposable diapers on my kid-- but now that I'm a mom, I get it. Cloth diapers = more laundry, more fuss, more thought, more up-front money-- all things to be avoided in every day life when you're a first-time mommy, if possible.
But India is challenging me to rethink all of this a little. America is one thing, but if the norm in India is to use cloth diapers, and if the whole point of going on this trip is to experience India, why should I try to force this issue? I have had several suggestions from other moms-- have diapers shipped half way through, have any visitors form the states bring some with them when they come, or even just pack three suitcases full and hope they'll last....
But a good [Indian] friend put it best when she said: The trail of garbage is very visible in India. I know that I wouldn't feel comfortable brining 300 disposable diapers into the country knowing that they'll stay there for the rest of my life.
Really, what right do we have to bring these horrendous things into a country whose own people don't use them and whose garbage system may not even be able to handle them?
Of course, the later part of this question applies to anywhere on earth-- even Seattle. Violet's diapers will outlive her no matter where we are.
That is just the truth.
Anyway, I am doing my research, and trying to figure out the best cloth diapers to buy.
Here is some advice from a friend who, bless her soul, already uses cloth diapers on her kid (and they aren't even going to India!)
"i have a mix of bum genius and fuzzi bunz diapers. i like the snaps on the fuzzi bunz but i think the bum genius leak less. if i were buying more/again, i'd stick to the bum genius. i have 16 diapers and do laundry every other day. i also bought some inserts that are made of hemp (called superdo or something) to put in for night-time or longer stretches since the cloth probably need to be changed every 2-3 hours or they'll leak. that worked for a while at night but we recently converted to huggies overnight disposables for nighttime cuz he was still waking up covered in pee. sadly, we have to put him in disposables for daycare.
if you want to come over and check out my stash of cloth diapers, i'm happy to show them to you at some point. you can go to the diaper lady in ballard and check out pretty much any type of diaper you hear about. look at http://punkernoodlebaby.com/ if you wanted her info. i went to her house to look at stuff but i bought my diapers in bulk online from the cheapest place i could find them.
good luck!!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)