New additions

We've had a really hard time finding diapers that fit Reilly well. The "one-size" BumGenius pockets really only go to about 30 lbs. He's about that, and they DO fit, but they're not very comfortable for him. And we loved our BumGenius Egyptian Cotton fitteds for a while, but they kind of seemed to shrink, and weren't that comfy for him either. And they took too long to dry. So I sold them and bought two of the new Babykicks One-Size Hemp fitteds (slightly used). They're supposed to go up to 35 or 40 lbs, and they fit him really well. I also found I liked the snaps a lot more than I thought I would. They are fitteds, so they technically need a cover, but they also have a pocket. If I put a hemp insert into the pocket, they're great for letting him run around for a while coverless (so his little bum can breathe) without worrying about him soaking through.

The other new diapers we got are Green Acre Designs (GADs) side-snapping pockets. The size large looks tiny, but fits Reilly so well. It's great; they seem more comfortable for him. I like how the side-snaps (vs. front aplix/velcro) don't put pressure on his tummy. And they come in all kinds of cute colors. I already ordered one more for him and two for Jaina. They come in 5 different sizes, so make sure you measure your little one and compare. There are two links on the side now to stores that sell GADs (usually 15.95, with another $3-ish for an insert. Any insert will work, pretty much.). I highly recommend trying them!

Current stash

At this point I'm washing about every 1.5 days, but I think soon I'll be able to wash every other night. I think I said that before, but I've bought and sold several things since then. I need to make sure I use my prefolds more. I have more pockets now, and they're just so much more convenient, and they seem a little more comfortable for Jaina, who is trying to get more mobile. (Trying, not succeeding so much) Anyway, here is everything (minus a prefold she was wearing, Reilly wasn't up yet!) I have right now, fresh out of the dryer. :)

Does it Save Money?

So I was browsing and found a cool site : http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/5-diap/45-diaper-cost.htm . It breaks down the costs of disposable vs. cloth diapering. (just the cost of the diapers themselves)

They based their research on "two of the most popular brands from a store known for its value pricing" and calculated how much a value box of diapers cost, plus how many disposables babies use (on average) at each age, and also figured in how long they are using each size.

With all the math done, this site claims the average cost of JUST the diapers for about 3 years (i child) is $2,694. Is that crazy, or what? If you want to see how they broke it down, check the site.

This site (a little less accurately, I think) says disposable diapering costs about $2800. They base that on 8 changes per day for 3 years at $.32 a diaper. I don't think most of us pay quite that much per diaper, but let's say even an average of $.22 a diaper - $1927. That's a lot of money!

This same site says the same family will spend about $320 to $500 on cloth diapers during a child's "diapering life." That's probably washing every 2-3 days. I wash every night right now, and have spent about $400 so far for both kids. I'm getting close to being able to wash every 2 days though, which would be about right, I think. I just bought some more BumGenius's for Jaina. Now I just need to find some diapers that fit Reilly a little better, and we should be well on our way to just washing every other day. I don't think I'd want to go longer than that, mostly because you don't have to deal with much smell that way.

Cloth diapering definitely seems more economical, even if you factor in the $400 (approximately, of course) it takes during those 2-3 years to wash all your diapers. If you're doing two kids at once, I think that number probably goes down. :) Then there's still the re-sale value. From what I've read (and from some re-sale myself) you can make back anywhere from 30 to 60% of your original cost if you keep things in decent condition. Either that or save everything to use on the next child, and your costs for THAT baby just went way down... Money-wise, it's a win-win situation.

That's all for now. Jaina thinks she needs some attention. :)