Monday, April 25, 2011

Does My Bum Look Too Big?

That would be a most definite YES!










~End Photoshoot~

We'd like to thank everyone who has donated to the trips diaper service. The generosity of soooo many has kept them in diapers for almost 10 months (three months left of prepaid service). The cloth diapering experience is not only cheaper but better for baby's skin than disposables. But I'm not knocking disposables, we'd be using them if we could afford it. We bought enough preemie disposables to last us the first two weeks after bringing the boys home but ever since it's been cloth. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!

I was almost getting second thoughts about it before the boys were born and after I had invested in the diaper covers and had registered for the service. I had heard many stories of smelly babies, rashes, and blow outs to name a few. But to my relief it has been a very pleasant experience. The service is great because all I have to do is put the dirty diapers on the porch and every week they are taken away and I get fresh clean ones. I swore that I'd never attempt to wash my own but knowing I could save almost $100 a month is too good to pass up. I've asked other M.O.M's who've done it and they only have good things to say. So I might splurge a month or two more after my prepaid runs out in hopes that the boys poops get more solid but then I'll start washing my own.

Which brings me to another topic, about two weeks after starting solids the boys started pooping like crazy. 3-4 times a day for each baby! (they were going once maybe twice a day before) Their poo went from a tomato sauce consistency to more like tomato paste and it makes for some very messy diaper changes. I feel like more is coming out than is going in, is this normal??? Is their G.I. tract adjusting? (I'm emailing their doctor) They only eat like three or four tablespoons of solids once a day. By the time Phil comes home I'm about to scream, I just can't stand to change another dirty diaper! I'm also picking them up more to take them to the changing table and it's killing my back, as if it didn't already hurt! OK enough venting... On a lighter note here are some pro's and con's of cloth:

Con's

-If you only have one baby it's probably not much cheaper to do the service (it's like wholesale the more you buy the cheaper each one is)

-If you wash your own you have to deal with poo...my reality soon enough : (

-There is an upfront investment on diaper covers which are very expensive $8-25 a piece and you need about 6-10 per baby. (thankfully I got my newborn/smalls used and Phil's friend generously gave us a ton of mediums and larges)

-They are a pain to deal with if you leave the house a lot (but perfect for the triplet mom who never leaves her house)

-More frequent diaper changes (I change them every three hours during the day and just double up at night)

-Takes about 5 seconds longer to change them

-Their butts will appear larger than they really are...you should see them at night when we double up!

Pro's

-No chemicals on baby's skin

-Better for the environment (although this may be debatable)

-Less blow outs (I've had more blow outs using disposables and they are hardly ever in them!...but I also buy the cheapest ones I can find)

-A lot cheaper than disposables and almost no cost if you wash your own (ours are 15cents each and if you buy the good disposables they are more like 20+ cents each plus you need to shell out for a bigger trash pick up)

-almost no cost if you wash your own

-almost no cost if you wash your own

-they potty train faster!!!!!!!!!! Boys generally take longer to potty train than girls. I'm looking at 3+ years, so if there is any way to expedite this I'm doing it. Also, the sooner they potty train the sooner I can drop them off at the Ikea play area for some kid free time during the week : )

-Cute diaper covers...see pictures : )

13 comments:

Jessica said...

Those super disposable diapers are a diaper company's dream. The kid never feels wet, they even suck the poop away from their skin! So let's stay in diapers forever!
You are a brave woman, and I bet your kids are begging to get out of the cloth diapers as soon as they can say "ME DO IT!" They can have Pee in the Potty contests.

Myra 米兰 said...

Hmmmm... Since elliot has started solids he poops like once or twice a week now. Before it was once or twice every day. Maybe I should call the doctor too! Its so hard to know whats normal.

Sue said...

Oh Janet, they are so adorable. Can't wait to hold, squeeze and cuddle them! They are just getting soooo big! We will be up before you know it.------MaMa Sue

Sara said...

The boys look more identical the older they get! So cute and snuggly looking, and having done cloth diapers I SO remember the big butt syndrome. We used to always say about Rachel, "baby's got back!" Disposable diapers are easy on the one hand, but I hate them on the other. I use them for trips or in a pinch, but every time I throw one away I think about how long it will take to decompose, and how there went more money. I used all disposable on Javan and he was potty trained at 2 years 10 months. (I tried earlier, but he couldn't let go). Rachel and James did almost all cloth and Rachel potty trained at 2 and a few months, and James is out of diapers now (2 years 3 months). I don't blame anyone for using disposable, but I love using cloth and ending the whole deal earlier.

Tati said...

Those pics are sooooo cute! I wanna take some more pics of them next time I'm down there :)

Jonalyn said...

Maybe their digestive tracts are still working out the kinks now that they're eating some solids. And it could change from week to week. :) I love the pictures. Such cute boys!!

Aracely said...

ahhh love my boys!!! Im sad that I cant hold them whenever I want! Miss them terribly! they are soo cute in these pics..sweet little faces they make lol...omg they are pooping a lot..let us know what the dr says about it..dosent sound normal...but what do I know!;) Love Aracely >^..^<

Janet said...

Too cute for words! Give them hugs and kisses from Auntie Janet. Can't wait to see them. I'm counting the days.

nan cee said...

It is fun to see how much they change and have grown with each new posting! I never put a disposable diaper on either of my babies and if I had one today I would use the good old cloth. Once they are potty trained you have great cleaning rags!
Prayers and thoughts with you,
A. Nancy

Vancouver Elerick's said...

So stinkin' cute with the diaper covers! I am so glad that you were able to get so many months of free diaper service!

They just keep getting cuter and cuter. Keep those pictures coming!

Jessica said...

Any of you out there sew? (Not me, I am up to my eyeballs in quilt batting.)
And as for the better for the earth thing, some say (probably the Pampers PR people) it is debatable for the diaper service, they use tons of water and disinfectant. But the home washer (again, you are a brave woman to think of doing this) uses so much less because the poop is all in the family. You know what I mean?


http://www.etsy.com/listing/71554523/pdf-how-to-make-your-own-cloth-diaper?ref=sr_list_3&ga_ref=auto&ga_search_query=cloth+diaper+inserts+pattern&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

Janet Pittsenbarger said...

If only I knew how to sew and had a sewing machine : (

My ambitions to learn how to sew and make my own quilt went to Hades when I became pregnant and felt soooooooo tired all the time...my anniversary present wish this year is a sewing machine : )

Amber Seah said...

On the poop with home washing cloth nappies, we got this awesome spray nozzle that attaches to the toilet piping( you know down the bottome where the water goes in.) It makes poop so much easier to deal with.
I will send back with Aunt Janet a whole heap of cut polar fleece liners (unused) that make it easier to wash and limit staining on the nappy. With three I'd invest in a spray nozzle, it is also good for rinsing our Ikea potty's.

The nozzle here was about $65 which means it should be $25US.