Cloth Diapering on the Cheap

Does cloth diapering save money? Absolutely. But I'll be the first to admit that it could have saved me personally a lot more money had I known about the following two options. When I first started CDing last July, I played around with a whole mess of different brands trying to figure out what I liked. I gave cotton prefolds (the old school cotton squares that you fold and pin) a try, but I really didn't like them. I found them bulky and hard to put on a wiggly baby. So I sold them and moved on. Then a couple of months ago I purchased a few diaper covers on Diaperswappers and the seller threw in a handful of Osocozy Betterfit prefolds and oh my gosh, I have a newfound respect for these old classics! Osocozy Betterfits are designed NOT to be wrapped around your baby and pinned, but simply to be trifolded and laid in a diaper cover. Then you simply fasten the cover on like you would any pocket diaper. Their special dimensions make them the perfect size for trifolding. No more figuring out what to do with all that extra diaper means less bulk without sacrificing any absorbancy. They are super reasonably priced (about $2.50 a diaper) and when you pair them with a cover like the Flip shown below, which I purchased as a second for like nine bucks, you have a ridiculously affordable diapering system!

Flip aplix cover in Sweet (sidenote, couldn't you just nom on that adorable belly button?)

Not a bit more bulky or hard to use than a pocket diaper!

And for another well-kept secret that I wish I had known about sooner: Alva pocket diapers. Pockets make up the majority of our stash, and I love experimenting and trying out different brands. It keeps me from getting bored ;) My favorites, such as the Bumgenius 4.0s and Blueberry pockets, average around $20 a diaper new. That's a lot! One day while browsing Diaperswappers, I found a brand new Alva diaper in a cuter than cute minky camo print and picked it up for....wait for it....nothing! I ended up trading the seller for a diaper that wasn't getting much love at our house. Love it when that happens. Man do I wish I had known about this brand sooner! Such a generous cut, a superb fit, super soft fabric, sturdy snaps, and a dream to wash and dry. And no leaks. Ever. And all of that for under $6 a diaper, brand spanking new! It is by far Sweets' most requested diaper. He LOVES it and at every diaper change he requests "camo diaper?" I wish I had a bazillion of them. Now, I will say that you have to be ok with the fact that it's made in China. The company seems fairly reputable, but I can't say for sure under what kind of labor conditions these diapers are produced. But, um, look how cute!

"Helping" Mama do the dishes ;)

I really can't emphasize enough how much I adore the fit of this diaper. It will surely fit him until potty training, and the minky fabric feels so nice against his tender skin.

When we're ready to take the plunge with baby #2, both of these brands will be making a sizable appearance in my diaper stash. I wish I could justify purchasing more of them right now, but with Sweets getting close to potty training, it doesn't make any sense. Oh yes, I said potty training. He is enormously interested in the potty right now. My little man is growing SO fast!