Oh new babies are so cute and any new mama knows we want everything prepared and ready for them when they get here! They need soft cuddly things and new clothes and gear and so much more. Oh and then diapers! Diapering a baby may seem ok at first, $25 on a box here and $25 on a box there, but soon it adds to hundreds and even thousands of dollars later….. Bam potty training. Is there a better way? Cloth diapering has a huge upfront cost, or so it seems. How does a thrifty mom diaper?
Build a diaper stash
One way…. Find a diaper everyone talks about go on their website and buy their starter kit $500. Only to find out they don’t fit your baby well, and give up and go back to disposables.
Or..
Research all diapers find a cloth diaper site like www.nickisdiapers.com  that offers rewards. Shop ebay, look for used and in good condition. Shop cheap, shop expensive. Find what you like. Do you like sized, or one size? Do you like plain or gender neutral? Or do you prefer cute gender specific patterns?
Here Is what I have done
I learned early on in cloth diapering I love All-in Ones. So easy great for grandparents and husbands to use too. Simple like a disposable! Why not love that? They tend to be a bit more expensive, but oh so convenient. I also have other kinds added to the mix, they tend to be the ones used after the All-in-ones are dirty. What kind of stash is it that I have built?
AIO- Newborn Size
3 rumparooz Lil Joey (used from ebay) spent $20 saved $25
2 Grovia AIO (new) spent $32
3 Nickis Diaper AIO (new) spent $28 saved $10
5 Home made AIO (new) spent $20 saved $40
2 thirsties AIO size 1 (used) spent $10 saved $20
1 Bumgenius AIO-newborn (used) Spent $10 saved $10
16 Newborn size AIO Spent $120 Saved $105 (off full or new price) = $7.50 per diaper (to be used through 15 lbs and for more than 1 Child)
Other Newborn sized diapers
6 home-made fitted diapers (new) $15 spent $138 saved
4 Home-made soakers covers  (new) $5 spent $50 saved
7 Home-made covers (new-bought from ebay) $24 Spent $36 saved
6 Pocket (new- cheap chinese imports only for Severe back up!) $24 spent
10 Prefolds (used) $10 spent $12 saved
17  Newborn sized Diapers, 6 back ups and 10 Prefolds  spent $78 saved 236= $3.40 per diaper (to be used to 15 lbs and for more than 1 child)
Total 33 Diapers & 10 Prefolds=$198 sized cloth diapers
now I realize there are far cheaper ways to cloth diaper. Having AIO are more expensive but super convenient, so worth the extra money to me. Try one out, but try covers and fitteds or prefolds, try pockets. One thing I know is that you wont save any money if you don’t used the diapers at all cause you have a kind you do not like to use! Find what you like best and it will be money well spent in the future. Especially when you can diaper more than one child with the same diapers!
How do you cloth diaper? What kind of diapers do you prefer? What is your favorite? What is your least favorite?
Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.