It's Day Three of Cloth Diaper Week hereabouts (also cowboy week, apparently), complete with giveaways! (That's right, I used an exclamation point. Because there's more than one giveaway!)
If you'd rather gnaw off your own arm than read about cloth diapers, there's a special giveaway just for you later on this week. Until then, why don't you go read something more entertaining?
This week's posts will include this love song to Thirsties, the bare bones list of what I think you need to have to cloth diaper on the cheap, a breakdown of our cloth diapering routine, including how I came to grips with our front loading washing machine, a cost comparison of cloth vs. disposables in theory and cloth vs.disposables in fact, and a post by Seth, who (spoiler alert) does not love the cloth diapers.
Today's giveaway? My friends, I have ponied up a $20 gift certificate to my favourite cloth diaper shop: Caterpillar Baby. They are a home based business out of Toronto, but they ship to both Canada and the US, so it's not useless. They have given me the best service, since - as you know - I'm somewhat prone to ordering the wrong products, and even having them shipped to the wrong address.
(And you can still enter Monday's giveaway! Joy! Exclamation points!)
* * *
When Seth and I sat down in April of 2011 to compare the cost of cloth diapers against the cost of disposables, we thought we covered everything and had figured out the bare bones, absolute minimum amount of stuff we'd need to cloth diaper on the cheap.
We were wrong.
If I could go back in time, I'd have a little chat with my past self and save her a few bucks on that cloth diaper stash, except I wouldn't need to, because - duh - I'd have discovered time travel and wouldn't need to save any money because I'D BE SUPER RICH. And I would be diapering my children in hundred dollar bills, which is what super rich people do. Obviously.
Since I can't go back in time (evidence: that last paragraph is still written, to our mutual chagrin), I will put this advice out there for anyone that goes looking for it: don't listen to articles like these unless you have enough money to diaper your children with it.
Instead, you can survive two kids in diapers at the same time with these bare necessities:
-10 Size 2 Diaper covers (we like Thirsties. Also: skip the size ones and go with disposables for your newborn unless your children aren't as porky as mine. Then you might need 4 or so to get you through that itty bitty stage.)
-24 Prefolds or flats or whatever you want to call them
-32 (or so) baby washcloths (you will get 492 packages of them at your baby shower, so no worries)
-Something to mix wipe solution in - I'm using the peri bottles I got at the hospital after Oscar was born.
-1 big wetbag (I've tried the GroVia ones above - too small - and the Bummis Fabulous - not too fabulous - ours is now Planet Wise. When that's in the wash, use whatever you have around or - gasp! - leave it lying on top of the washing machine. Gross, I know.)
-A diaper pail with a lid - we use a large step lid garbage pail that we already had
-Some kind of detergent made for cloth diapers. I've only ever used Rockin' Green, and I'm happy.
If you bought this stuff today at Caterpillar Baby, it would run you $246.01 plus tax ($297.01 if you opt for the size ones), and because it's over $99, shipping would be free. I'm sure you could make do for some things, and I hear that used diapers are resold all the time...you could probably get even cheaper than this. Give me a call when Lucy's potty trained and I'll give you a great deal.
Caterpillar Baby didn't compensate me for this post at all, and doesn't even know I'm writing this right now - that's how far under the radar I am. I just love their service, and - in the fine tradition of trying to buy friends - I'm giving away a $20 gift certificate to their online store so I can purchase your undying love and devotion.
::cough::
(Also, stop cheating. That is all.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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A Week Of Cloth Diapers: Conquering The Front End Loader, And Other Tales From The Crypt >>
A Week Of Cloth Diapers: Conquering The Front End Loader, And Other Tales From The Crypt >>
This time last year: What The Food Is Going On Here?
