Starting The Cloth Diaper Journey

The Diaper Shop was a dream of mine for awhile before I seriously voiced the idea. I love cloth diapers. Anyone who uses cloth diapers can understand the love. I want to share the love with others. I want to show you how to love cloth diapering. That’s the vision of The Diaper Shop.

From the outside looking in, it can be an overwhelming process. Where do you start? What is your budget? Are you going be using them full time? Or part time? Do you want to use cloth wipes? Will you make your own cloth wipe solution? What type of detergent will you use?  Where do you put dirty diapers? There’s so much information. Sit back, relax and let me chat with you.

I think you should know that researching and wanting to use cloth diapers is a huge step already!! Good for you, give yourself a pat on the back. Cloth diapers are like wine- everyone has their own opinion and favourite brand. Instead of sticking to one style or brand it can be beneficial to try a few out. You can always add more of the ones you really like to your stash later on or add new brands/systems. If you’re on a limited budget it might make more sense to buy a set or kit of diapers instead. It’s personal preference, and there is no right or wrong way.

Remember to give yourself grace. You don’t need to start with a full time stash of diapers and expect to use them in and out of the house. It’s ok if you choose to not use cloth wipes right away- or at all. If you’re ambitious and want to start using all cloth all the time, that’s fantastic. It can also be overwhelming. So know it’s ok to use disposable.

A good amount of diapers to start with is 12-24. Twelve diapers allows you to part time cloth diaper while washing every day to every other day. I think buying a little of everything, or at least a couple different systems or brands, is a great way to start. This way you can really figure out what you like and don’t like. A couple AIOs, and pocket diapers from a couple different brands, prefolds, and covers. This is how I started my diaper stash. At different times I found I liked different systems.

Maybe you’re an “all or nothing” kind of person. Maybe you feel the need to jump in with both feet. Maybe you’ve used cloth on someone else’s baby. If you know what you want, and feel strongly about it, then go for it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and kind of like you want to roll over and cry instead of figuring it out, that’s ok. Call me. I’ve been there. We can figure it out together. There’s nothing I love more than drinking coffee and discussing diapers. (The diaper lovers out there understand.)