Thursday, April 30, 2009

I need some opinions...

Mike and I are going back and forth on a few things. We are starting to adjust our monthly budget now so that we can be prepared when our loan payments come due for the adoption. We know its going to be awhile...but might as well prepare ourselves now.

So we're trying to think of ways we can save money. A very very good friend of mine cloth diapers. I never thought I would cloth diaper. NEVER! SO NOT ME! However, I'm all about saving money...a lot of money! Since breastfeeding isn't an option for us, we will be spending A LOT of money on formula every month-we thought this would be a good way to save some money. We really like the bum genius. They are great! When we've taken care of our friends little peanut-she wears them-and they are GREAT!! "M" was the one who first got me thinking about it-and when her and I went baby shopping last Friday-we looked at them for awhile-and i started thinking more seriously about them. They aren't very cheap to start off with, but in the long run they will save money. And on top of all of that-its good for the enviornment-which is obviously a big plus as well.

So I want opinions...pros and cons for cloth diapering and not. Your experiences....is cloth diapering worth it? Not worth it? Easier? More work?

9 comments:

Tabitha said...

I am not sure about cloth diapers because I've never known anyone to use them. Have you thought about getting help through your state with the cost of formula and stuff? I don't know how they do adoptions but I'm sure there is some help you can get. I know women who have babies can get help, so why not the women that have to adopt?

Samantha said...

Jill over at Baby Rabies has done an extensive review of cloth diapering & various products.

I'm not a mom, so I don't have any opinions other than what I've read from her- it seems like a great idea- very environmentally friendly too!

http://babyrabies.com/category/cloth-diapers/

Rachel said...

SOOOOO worth it!! I love love love love love cloth diapering! The upfront cost is NOTHING compared to what you save in the long run. We have $480 worth of bum genius diapers and use them for 2 kids and I wash every 2-3 days.

With one kid I can go 5 days (though you're not suppose to, but I could if I wanted).

Also cloth wipes!! Great way to save money and just as easy!

Also cloth napkins! And using rags instead of paper towels

Use tupper wear instead of ziplocks.

Line dry your clothes to cut down on your energy bill.

or tear your dryer sheets in thirds.

Grocery shop on a list, price check and buy generic brands! go with cash so you can't over spend.

Just some ways to save money :)

But back to diapers, I think I've made it clear how much I love using them and I have OODLES of info I could email you if/when you want them.

Also you can register for them online at Target!

bri said...

Wow I am sold on the above commenter! haha

I always wanted to cloth diaper. but the beginning is where it is so pricey and we usually don't have that up front.

I have had several friends cloth diaper and they make it look so easy and so much more affordable!

I would totally go for it if you have the means. It is less expensive in the long run.

Oh and just an FYI... you may already know this but there is a "treatment" of sorts that will allow you to breast feed. Some type of hormone pills that you can take that will make you lactate to be able to nurse your baby! I was going to do that too but when you foster/adopt it is a lot more questionable... and you have little to no warning when your child is coming.

Just an idea.

Thomas said...

I have a 2-year-old son, and we love cloth diapers. When we first talked about it, my husband was very reluctant, but now he is their biggest fan--and he does almost 100% of the laundry! They are cute and easy, not like lots of people think, and they really do save in the long run, though of course you make an initial investment. I highly recommend them!

Erica said...

I don't know anything about cloth diapers....I'd be curious though. I've seen "incidents" that a disposable diaper couldn't stand up to. How do cloth diapers fare in those instances? Is there an increase in rashes and things like that (does moisture get pulled away the same)? Do you still secure them with safety pins? Sounds like it's definitely something worth researching.

Erica

hope548 said...

Hi, I am new to your blog. Our son was placed with us Oct. 1, 2008 and we started using the Bum.Genius 3.0 when he was about 2 months old. We absolutely love this diaper. We tried pre-folds with covers, but they leaked with him and I went to the BG 3.0 and haven't looked back. They are easy to use, easy to clean, and hold up really well through repeated washings. We own 24 of them and they last us about 3 days, sometimes only 2, but you don't want them to sit there dirty for more than 3 or 4 days anyway.

You'll also need wet bags for your diaper bag and pail liners. We use a regular kitchen trash can with the foot pedal. You may also want to consider getting a sprayer to help clean the poo. I bought mine here: http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=98&products_id=1228
If you have any questions about them, you can email me at hope548 @ gmail . com. I am happy to share our experience.

Jazzy said...

Just a comment about formula:) Have you heard of milk banks? Since breast feeding wont be an option for you, there are milk banks out there where you can get donated breast milk. Ask other moms in your area or do some research on the internet about it. I have known a few people that have used milk banks or have just known enough people who donate milk so they didn't have to worry about formula costs. Plus then the baby still gets the amazing benefits of breast milk.

leah @maritalbless said...

Well I'm only a month and 2 weeks into CD'ing but so far so good! We also have the BG 3.0.

Thank you for your last comment! You'll have to give a recap on how your first wedding went!