Too many words about a subject most people don’t care about

Let’s talk about cloth diapers.  Not that I think that many people are interested in what I have to say about my daughter’s diapers, but because I am pointedly avoiding discussing how we are all being terrorized by a certain 3 year old who thinks he’s 13, and who refuses to sleep when he should, resulting in several screaming-type tantrum episodes a day FOR THE PAST MONTH (except today, of course, when he has been a DREAM TO BE AROUND, thank you Baby Jesus).  Mama is left completely frustrated and exhausted and honestly confused as to how someone so little can create so much havoc and discord.  (I mean it.  Confused.  Does anyone have any experience with this?  Because it happens every six months or so and leaves us all shaken and desperately hoping that we haven’t completely messed up our child.  Is it normal?  Do I need an exorcism?  Cause that’s where I’m leaning.)

The cloth diaper wearer herself.

So, no.  We’re not talking about that.

Instead, let’s talk about cloth diapers.

I’ve been using the pocket diapers that you stuff an insert into, a la bumGenius, and for the past few months they’ve had me rethinking the whole cloth diapering process.  You see, they leak.  Bad.  Like every time I use them.  They’ve been stripped and resnapped and given a ritualistic, sage-burning cleansing from a witch doctor, all to no avail.  I think maybe Adele’s just going through some kind of growth thing where her legs aren’t thick enough to fill out the elastic on the legs, and her middle is too big for a smaller setting.  Or something.  I don’t really know.  Maybe they just aren’t meant to be used as much as I use them.  She’s been cloth diapered almost since she was born and it was fine in the beginning.  But really, I don’t want to have to change her clothes every time I change her diaper.  And sometimes the diapers don’t hold ANY PEE IN.  It’s like it just runs right through. We were at the doctor's one day when I realized one of these diapers wasn't working at all.  I didn't have wipes with me and there was pee all over the floor.  I kept finding puddles after I thought I was done cleaning it up.  That was a fun day.

And then there’s the velcro.  The velcro that is now giving out.  Yes, I could replace it like I’ve done before, but I just don’t really feel like it.

So that’s where we are at.  I think I've held on to the idea of these diapers for so long because they're supposed to be the best.  They're supposed to be the easiest and most awesome, but they haven't been for me.  I got so fed up one day that I ordered some Indian cotton prefolds and have been using them with snappis and Thirsties covers.  I do have a Bummis but I don’t like it as well as the others.  It seems to hold smell more than the Thirsties, and can leak around the legs, which is what I’m trying to avoid.

And it’s kind of like I’m free.  I’ve given in completely to my granola ways, at least when it comes to diapering.  There are no leaks.  I repeat, THERE ARE NO LEAKS.  And as a super added bonus, I don’t have to worry so much about whether I’m washing them the wrong way because it’s just cotton.  I wash them twice, once on cool and once on hot for the longest wash I can find, and that’s it. 

I will say that I’m still getting the hang of the snappi closures.  If I have one complaint about the prefolds I bought, it’s that they just aren’t wide enough.  Sometimes I struggle to even get enough material to clasp.  But I’m getting better at it.  And I think the next time I order diapers I’ll buy from Green Mountain Diapers, who’s diapers seem to be a little wider.

So far I’ve tried the tri-folding method and the flying angel wing (Ha!) method, and I prefer the angel wing, which makes use of the snappis.  The other method I haven’t figured out how to do it and not have poop leak all over the covers.  But I’m still learning.

Chris still hasn’t used them.  I think he’s a little afraid, which is fine.  We still have other diapering methods he’s comfortable with.  Plus I do about 99 percent of the changing anyway.

I haven’t used my wool soakers yet, mostly because I’m afraid of having ridiculous leaking all over my house.  I know that’s silly, but baby steps, right?