Paper or Plastic?

JP Rennquist Mar 22, 2009 12 Comments
Diaper Man!

Diaper Man!

Alyssa reminded me today that we can ask each other questions on PDD and get some great localized answers.  So, I have three questions to ask the collective PDD wisdom/snark base.   Yes three, but I’ll stick to two for now.

Question #1 I am blessed with a new baby that is coming sometime in the next several weeks.  For my first two girlies I used plastic diapers without any prejudice.  However, with this one, my partner has been advocating for the use of re-usable cloth diapers.  And I am going along on this, and not just because I have to, but because I want to.   In fact, I am washing my first batch of cloth diapers now (just out of the package).  I am interested in stories, experiences and advice on the reusable diaper front from a local perspective, I’m especially interested in stuff like logistics, tips and tricks, price savings, and if anyone has any theories of actual savings and environmental benefits, etc.  For the record, the plan is to breast feed this child, I know that makes a difference.  And, because she is on parental leave indefinitely I suspect she will be doing quite a bit more of the changing, but I will probably do most or all of the laundry, so the decision affects us both. I would also entertain general earth friendly baby advice, offers of free stuff you think we could use, and good infant activity ideas around the area as this will be my first new one in 6 years.

Question #2 Is almost completely unrelated, however, I hope it will produce some fascinating advice mash-ups.  Here goes, during my long period of unemployment and underemployment I archived nearly all of the wild goose music library onto a hard drive for eternal use.  Then, being broke I sold as many of those cds as I could to pay for stuff like food, bills and (until I quit) cigarrettes).  I also gave many that could not sell away because I just didn’t think I “needed” anymore.  So … things have been going just fine until … the last few weeks.  I got a new laptop and thousands of the dang things won’t play.  the reason is that over the course of the last few years I have used a number of junker computers and all of them are gone now.  The digital files are wma’s with DRM and the windows site says that I have downloaded the license too many times.  This is very troubling as it looks like those are just “ghost files” that I will never be able to play ever again, and being a (retired) DJ I still kind of need them sometimes, not to mention WANT to listen to them.  I have looked into a number of different ways of removing the drm on various bulletins, etc online and it all seems very confusing and many of them also seem very pirate-like.  I am not interested in slinking around in the shadows (much)  since these are all things that I prchased legally and feel like I “own” and I feel I should be allowed to use them on any coputer I own, or any computer anywhere for that matter.  So … looking for advice and experience with this matter as well.  Oh and if posible I would like to do this for free.  But would pay something if I knew what was the best way to proceed.

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12 Comments

Mickey

about 16 years ago 

In short on the environmental benefits of cloth, here's a good study from Slate.com


http://www.slate.com/id/2187278/

edgeways

about 16 years ago 

arrr DRM, if I am interpreting things correctly "legally" you gave up the right to the songs once you sold the CDs... so you where/are already in "pirate" territory. Now, many people, myself included, who are not really internet pirates think this is a load of bullshit. However, I am not sure what you can do to strip the DRM that won't further put you into the gray area. It's too bad too, because as things stand currently the DRM wars are almost over, there are increasingly fewer and fewer DRM locked CDs and sites.

brian

about 16 years ago 

We used cloth for both kids, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I think when you're in parenting mode, all that nastiness just becomes second nature. When I think back on it now, i gag a little.
As long as you have a decent washer and dryer and a semi-airtight diaper pail, it works pretty well, and definitely saves $$$. If I remember correctly, our washer ... um ... crapped out on us, and for that period we used disposables. And on trips.

doubledutch

about 16 years ago 

the best "infant activity" in duluth is mothersong (which is also totally awesome for fathers - the "mother" refers to the songs being about mother earth, ancient mother, mama ocean and there is always at least one dad there because a couple leads it).  that's tuesday mornings at the coppertop, 10:30.  newborns to school-age.  

it's a $5 donation per family, but the real bargain is you can get a dozen of the holdens' eggs for $3.  

you can also probably find someone there to sell you a stash of the next size of cloth diapers for cheap, used.  it's not gross.

boomer

about 16 years ago 

I didn't read the study of the previous post that someone listed. With that said, I remember when my first son was young, I looked into a diaper service (cloth) and found the cost to be similar (this may have changed in 18 years). But as far as environmentally, there must be a site that  breaks down the environmental footprint with the electricity, laundry soap, and water/sewage usage versus the plastic diapers. Another thought is this- are there any brands of disposable that are biodegradable? Admittedly, I haven't researched this but maybe you can.

Tang!

about 16 years ago 

I'll chime in on the cloth nappy debate.

We tried cloth while our son was very young and it worked pretty well while he was just a wee one - making wee little messes.  He was also breastfed, so it wasn't too traumatic.  

My first suggestion is eBay for used diapers, liners and covers.  (I concur, not gross)  If you're really in to it, you can find all sorts of cutsey designs and wraps.  The other nice thing is you can recoup your cost when you upgrade to the next size by selling the bulk of your smaller size.

In general, I recommend an AIO (All-in-one) kind - because you start with a "shell" of a waterproof wrap, then you stuff it with cloth and other absorbent materials depending on your baby's needs.  One thing I found particularly helpful was flushable liners (like thicker toilet paper) and it helps to keep the solids out of your hands and straight to the toilet.

I also recommend you find a product that uses enzymes to break down the materials in the wash.  Nappy bucket solution and pre-soaking products are out there - I just used teatree oil and that seemed to work pretty well with normal detergent.  These days I use a product I get at the coop for similar messes (now that we're potty training) called BioKleen Bac-Out.  I would that would work great for a pre-soak.

And I'll also say that Target carries NatureBaby Biodegradable nappies - so in a pinch, and when traveling, you can use them with a clean conscience. 

Good Luck!

Beverly

about 16 years ago 

Re: Clother diapers and infant activities
La Leche League of Duluth is a breastfeeding support group, and a nice place to go for a mom with a baby wanting to get out of the house. Although the group's focus is breastfeeding, it attracts a lot of cloth-diaper users, too.
They meet the third Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. at the coppertop church.

Louise

about 16 years ago 

I researched varieties of cloth diapers before we had our baby. Bum Genius 3.0 have to be some of the best ones out there. Google them to see what they are about. They are one size fits all (7 lb - 35 lb), easy to wash and don't stain (especially with breastfeeding). They are similar to disposables in fit. Our baby is now 3 months old and I am so happy we went with these diapers. We have 16 and go through half of them a day, but keeping up with the laundry is easy. We asked for them as shower presents, so we only had to buy a few - $18 each. I highly recommend these to everyone.

Victoria

about 16 years ago 

It looks like I'm late on your cloth diapering question -- and I'm sure you've already made up your mind on them by now, but I just wanted to touch base with you as to how you're liking your diapers!  Which brand did you choose?

When my son was born, we opted for the bumGenius.  Loved 'em and shouted them to the world!  Now I make our own and do it as a side-biz.  It's not necessarily the bumGenius that are so amazing, just the entire realm of modern cloth diapering.

My tips and tricks to you, if you're still looking to hear, and if you're a frugal mama like myself:

-Covers!
Keep at least one diaper cover and a few prefolds/soaker pads for emergencies if that's not your diapering system!  It'll cost you like.. $20 to have 5 changes on hand!

-Bac-Out
AWESOME STUFF - pricey! But not necessary!  I say, save it unless you have a problem with the stinks.  "Stripping" your diapers with 1TBS Dawn-original dish soap in a HOT/HOT cycle does wonders!  From my circle of cloth diapering mamas, Bac-Out is most handy if you don't wash your diapers daily, but have a big enough stash to get you through a few days.

-bumGenius One Size
If you plan to use these diapers for baby#2 down the road, don't get the BumGenius One-Size (OS) UNLESS you have standard sewing skills.  The aplix on the front tabs frays and will need replacing if you use the OS from 8-35lbs.  Heck, even before that point!  They offer them with SNAPS now... which really extend their shelf life, keep them looking sharp [the aplix pills and will need shaving for upkeep] and get you more on the re-sale factor, if that's the route you're going.  Beware of the 'laundry tabs' on these diapers too -- they're notorious for turning green.

-All-in-One vs Pocket:
Pocket diapers, where you insert/remove the absorbent pad, get a more thorough cleaning and dry incredibly faster than an AIO. 

Congratulations on the new babe!!
I hope everything is going swell with nursing and diapering!  Let me know if you end up doing some more shopping!

Gretchen

about 16 years ago 

Hi. I know this is super late, and you've already started using the diapers of your choice. However, if you went with disposables and want to check out a biodegradable alternative, try g diapers. They have a cloth shell, plastic (reusable) liner, and biodegradable inserts. They aren't perfect for every scenario, but good during the day at home. The smallest size is less useful than the medium, so you might actualy be at a good point to try them out. You can buy them online -- it's possible that the coop has them, I guess. Good luck!

wildgoose

about 16 years ago 

Here are the updates:

Yes, we do have a baby as seen elsewhere here on PDD.  He is great, one month old today.

--

We have been using ... wait for it ... 

Plastic.  

The usual mass market, part-of-the-problem things that were given to us, hundreds of them And we are very very grateful for all of the kind people in our lives who cared enough to give what they know would be useful

Traveling this weekend (and last week, actually) I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.  BUT, I did have to break down and buy some on the road and I realized after not having little ones for nigh on 6 years ... they are very very expensive.  I have a job that I am grateful for but I don't know how really struggling people make it on the diaper front.  Our little one seems to go through about 8 - 10 diapers a day!  At $20 a box of 80 (more if you have to go to convenience stores) it really really adds up.

So we will be back on the market for something more sustainable as we work through the remaining gift diapers.  Ultimately this is my wife's decision as she is the primary caregiver.  One thing she has said is that the convenience of the disposables has been really important during this first month.  She is so tired and so involved with cares that simple is very good.  

These comments have been really great I love hearing this stuff

The Big E

about 16 years ago 

Our kids are finally out of diapers now, thank Azathoth, but we experimented with a lot of different cloth diaper options over the years... if we were in the market again, I wouldn't buy anything but Fuzzi-bunz, despite the nails-on-chalkboard name.  Your mileage may vary, of course, but I found them greatly superior to Bum Genius.

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