So I've Started Wearing Cloth Diapers Fulltime...
I know, I know, this is betrayal on an epic scale, not seen in the history of my blog! What will the disposables think? But it’s true! Not only have I been dabbling in cloth, but it’s become my main way of diapering. The shock! The horror! The drama! I'm sure that long time readers among you might be aghast at this revelation. Serah, I hear you say, on x blog on y date, you said you didn't have an interest in trying cloth, or outright said you wouldn't probably maybe (sounds like me once upon a time), so why the change?
Well, honestly? It all boils down to my infamous, and at this point, probably signature, laziness. Yep. Once again, my diapering habits have shifted because of my unending desire to make things easier for myself. You didn’t have to call me out like that, though, shush.
So here’s what happened right, I moved out of an apartment and into a house. In my old place, there was a magical garbage chute where I could toss my trash into an unending void and never think about it again, but now? Now, I actually have to haul my trash outside. Sure, I'm not going to get super hyperbolic about it and say it was the worst thing to ever happen to me, but listen, the inconvenience of lugging heavy bags full of boosted diapers out every other day made me start noticing the chore, which, as we all know, is the first step toward deciding it’s bad.
I started thinking of ways to cut back on all the used diaper weight that kept filling my garbage. How could I have fewer heavy garbage bags to drag out of my house without compromising on my heavy-duty, ultra-absorbent boosted diaper combos? Well, I'm sure you can see where this is going.
So, I started with just cloth boosters right, while still using my premium disposables, and I genuinely didn't anticipate it going further than that originally. I just thought like, cool, the cloth boosters work as well as the disposable ones, I'll just get a few more and use them as needed, save a few dollars over time, and avoid carrying heavy bags of used boosted diapers outside.
And the lighter garbage was great at first! Turns out, boosters add a ton of weight, so my trash had basically almost halved in heaviness overnight. Washing the boosters was so much more carefree than I expected too, like, I barely had to think about it, and because I’m doing laundry anyway as part of regular life, my brain sort of tunes out the extra load or two of washing every few days.
Then I kind of just... kept using them, over and over again. I even chose them over my stack of disposable boosters because of how comfy and soft they were, and of course, my mind started to wander more and I started to question like, why not go all the way? Why not try actual proper cloth diapering? Would it be so much harder than disposables? Could I make it work?
Spoiler alert (though, come on, it was in the title!): I could, and I did, but it was absolutely not without its challenges and adjustments! So then, what are some factors I've had to consider in my swap to wearing cloth diapers 24/7?
1. Researching Cloth Diaper Basics
When I first decided to give cloth diapers a real shot, I honestly had no idea what I was getting into. It’s a whole world with different types, materials, and care routines. I had to figure out what worked best for my needs, from the right diaper styles to how to wash and dry them properly. At first, it felt really overwhelming, because there’s so much information out there about cloth diapering to process and trial. At one point when my partners asked me how it was going, I felt maybe a little bit crazy talking about how many different absorbent materials there are and their unique properties and how I was layering them and how that was helping with wicking the moisture and so and and so forth, but luckily for me they're fairly used to my diaper-related rants at this stage and tend to just nod along politely, haha. After I got over that initial hurdle though of like, information overload, I found my groove, and it started to just become second nature.
2. Embracing the Lack of Subtlety
This is probably the most obvious difference between cloth and disposables, because let’s be real here, cloth diapers are bulky, so bulky in fact that a lot of people only recommend wearing them at night. They’re quite a bit thicker than even the most absorbent disposables in fact (which is saying a lot when I was wearing boosted Trests). Now, I always knew cloth diapers were thicker than disposables, right, it’s just one of those things everyone mentions, but knowing it and living it are two very different things. Switching to heavy duty cloth diaper setups that would last me all day meant accepting a whole new level of thickness all over again, and don't even get me started on the fact that most of my clothes that fit with boosted premium disposables do not at all fit now that I'm in cloth, haha. I have so many pieces now that I can't get the buttons or zipper done up on because of the bulk of cloth diapers, which is wild to me because they could comfortably accommodate soaked and messy boosted Trests without issues! Honestly though, my grievances about clothes not fitting anymore aside, I don't stress over whether anyone notices my new bulkier cloth diapered state, even if they might make me waddle a bit, because, well, it’s just kind of obvious at this point that I wear diapers, and that’s okay! I think I've said it before, but I'd rather everyone know about my incontinence and diaper wearing than feel self conscious about who I am and tone things down.
3. Establishing a Washing Routine
Laundry was one of my biggest concerns before switching to cloth, because cloth diapering is a commitment. You’re not just tossing used diapers in the trash anymore, you’re storing them, washing them, drying them, and putting them back in rotation. If you’re not someone who enjoys, or can at least tolerate, a consistent laundry routine and a fair bit of planning, cloth diapering could quickly become overwhelming. For me, it blended into my life a lot more quickly than I thought it would, which really surprised me after years of thinking it would forever be the deal-breaker for me. I just throw in a load every two to three days, and it fits seamlessly into my regular routine because I'm already washing clothes anyway as part of regular household chores. Honestly, I’ve reached a point where I barely even think about it anymore, like, some washing loads are clothes and some are my cloth diapering supplies, and not to sound too much like an infamous game dev, but it just kind of works.
Okay this one, let’s not sugarcoat it, handling messes with cloth diapers requires more planning. Disposables make this super easy, like, you use it, you toss it, end of story. Cloth? Not so much. Depending on your setup, you might need to deal with rinsing, or using liners as an alternative to make cleanup easier. It’s definitely more effort, and it took me a while to figure out a system that worked for me, as someone who ends up in filled diapers almost every day. Disposable diapers are undeniably easier in the messy department, and I'm definitely not going to argue that whatsoever, but I’ve learned tricks to make cloth manageable for me even when it comes to messy diapers. Liners, for instance, have been a game changer for me for cleanup, they're a disposable or sometimes reusable incredibly thin piece of fabric that catches the mess inside the diaper so that it doesn't get on anything, that you can then just chuck out altogether with the mess or clean as appropriate. I use disposable bamboo liners myself, because yes, lazy, that's me, haha, but yeah, with liners it’s not as daunting as I initially feared, it’s kind of just part of the process. I just chuck out the liner with the baby wipes I used to clean myself up, nothing too drastic. Full respect to people who go all the way and have reusable liners and reusable wipes though, you're all champions!
We can be real about this, cloth diapers are expensive. When you’re looking at going 24/7, it’s not just about grabbing a couple of smaller things for occasional use, like I did initially with the cloth boosters, no, you need a whole stash ready to go. That means shelling out for enough to last you at least a few days between washes, plus wet bags for storing the used diapers / padding and liners if you’re using them. It’s a lot. I remember adding up the cost of everything I’d need, and I had a little moment of like, damn, is this going to be worth it? For me though, as someone who sees themselves in diapers forever, and who genuinely needs them every day, the long-term savings over disposables made it a no-brainer. Not everyone is in a place where they can justify the initial expense, though, and that’s totally valid! There's nothing wrong with sticking to disposables for a smaller cost in the short term if that's more viable than a big upfront investment!
6. Savings and Peace of Mind
One of the most rewarding aspects of switching to cloth has, of course, been the longer term financial savings. Yes, the upfront cost is significant, but I’ve gone from spending $10–$15 (Australian) a day on disposables to spending only the cost of laundry once my stash was built, and once you do the math of how quickly you'll make back the money that would have been spent on disposables, it puts you more at ease. Beyond the savings, there’s also the peace of mind right. No matter what happens in the future, I know I’ll always have a reliable diapering solution, and will never again have to think about going without (though funnily enough I have a multi month disposable diaper stash that is now sitting unused because of cloth, woops). That's an extremely comforting feeling for someone like me who sees my identity as so deeply intertwined with my diapers and my incontinence.
Honestly, if anyone is curious about trying cloth, I’d recommend starting with boosters just like I did. You still have the ease of use of your disposables and the effectiveness of your boosters, but now you just chuck the boosters in the wash, save some money, and have lighter diaper combos to throw out. Win win! At the end of the day though, you gotta do what suits your brain, just like all good full-time diapering habits <3
Switching to cloth diapers full-time has been a very surprising and ultimately rewarding journey for me. What started as a small effort to reduce trash weight has turned into a lifestyle change that I have genuinely really enjoyed. It’s not without its challenges, absolutely, but the benefits, both practical and personal, definitely outweigh the downsides for me so far.
If you’re curious about cloth, I encourage you to give it a try. Start small with boosters or part-time use and see how it feels for you. Everyone’s journey is different, but you might just find, like I did, that cloth diapers are worth the effort!
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