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Cloth Diapers for 2 or More!
Cloth diapers are making a come back. Gone are the days of cumbersome pins, wet pails and plastic pants! Modern cloth diapering is a whole new fashion that new parents are embracing with ease and a clear conscience. But can you really cloth diaper more than 1 baby?
Absolutely! Calgary mom Stacey C. has two potty trained twins and believes cloth diapering is a feasible option. She states “If Julia Roberts can do it, why can't I? Running out to the store to buy more disposables was not necessarily more convenient than doing another load of laundry. Between diapers and formula, I felt like we were always running out of something.”
Still some parents think cloth diapering will be a daunting task that they simply do not have the time or patience for. In speaking with parents of twins, one roadblock seemed to be time. But, as Amanda H., a Calgary mother of twins explains, “Cloth diapering takes a bit more time at diaper changes. This includes adding the liner or a flushie and getting the fit just right. There is of course the handling of dirty diapers and the extra time required to launder the diapers. Both of these do not take up a significant amount of time, not enough to discourage me from using cloth”.
In fact Amanda sites “Handling dirty diapers rather than tossing them in the garbage can” as the biggest challenge to cloth diapering her twins. She continues to choose to reduce her family’s contribution to the land fill and provide her babies with the comfort of cloth.
Other parents see cost as the main hurdle to cloth diapering. Calgary mom Stacey does remember considering cloth for her twins but, “Cost was the main deterrent, it was such a large up front cost for two that I decided to go with disposables (not necessarily cheaper but spread out the cost)”. Cost is an advantage over time, but the initial outlay can be substantial. Especially when so many other items are needed. Parents should keep in mind that many companies offer discounts to purchases made for multiples. Starting off with a combination of cloth during the day and disposables at night may help get through the early days when babies tend to go through up to a dozen diapers a day each, while keeping in mind that this will eventually turn to 6-8 diapers a day per baby.
Cloth diapering parents have a variety of reasons for choosing cloth usually based on one or more of the following benefits:
- Cloth is the natural choice – no chemicals or gels.
- You can tell when a cloth diaper is wet; a big advantage for breastfed babies, as milk intake is calculated by the number of wet diapers.
- Save Money; you only have to buy cloth diapers once. They’ll save you money with your first child and additional children.
- The environment. Every little bit counts and as parents we have an even greater stake in reducing waste, recycling and re-using. Single use diapers last a couple of hours while cloth diapers will last for three years or more!
- One less task on the errand list......all you have to do is wash them.....they won’t run out and you don’t have too!
- Less diaper rash.
- Earlier potty training – some toddlers are interested in the potty sooner because in cloth they can actually feel the wetness.
- There have been medical reports suggesting the link of infertility in boys (due to lower sperm count) and disposable diapers.
- Modern cloth diapers are cute, stylish, fun, comfortable, environmentally friendly and cost effective!
Amanda explains she “primarily decided to use cloth diapers for the babies' health. Cloth diapers seem to cause less diaper rash and general redness of the bum. I am also concerned about the chemicals that are in disposable diapers and the affect on the babies' health with long-term use”.
As with every decision you make as a parent keep in mind, children learn by example – make a conscience choice and handle waste responsibly. There are many reasons to give cloth a try and with more than one baby the benefits multiply!
Tips for getting started on Cloth Diapering Your Babies:
- All in One Diapers are simple and easy to use.
- Look for companies willing to offer a discount for purchases made by parents of multiples.
- Start with daytime in cloth, continue with disposables at night and for outings till you feel more confident.
- Purchase enough diapers so that you have to wash every other day or less.
- Disposable liners make clean up of soiled diapers simple!
- Try cloth diaper wipes and wash along with your diapers...remember it is not necessary to use a wipe when your baby is not soiled.
Written By: Deb Crocker Singh, mom to 3 cloth diapered gems (2003, 2005, 2007) and owner of Tiny Gem Baby Solutions, www.tinygem.ca, 403-640-0865, 1-888-640-4GEM (4436)
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