More and more parents these days are opting for mindful and conscious parenting. Being mindful includes choosing products best for their child and mother nature. The choice of going for cloth diapers is one such mindful and conscious decision that many parents are going for. Cloth diapers can be one of the best decisions for parents for multiple reasons. Cloth diapers are economical, better for the environment, more hygienic and suitable for newborn babies’ sensitive and delicate skin. If these reasons are still insufficient, check out the cute and trendy prints in which you can flaunt your baby’s bum, which might change your mind to start building your stash!
But just like learning any other new thing, not only mastering the skill of sizing but also maintaining cloth diapers also has a learning curve. You will be a cloth diapers ninja in no time, but you must avoid inevitable mistakes. This article will talk about the top 10 mistakes people make while using cloth diapers that you can avoid. Read on!
The Top 10 Mistakes To Avoid While Using Cloth Diapers
So, let’s talk about the big NO NOs regarding cloth diapers.
- Sticking To Just One Kind Of Diapers – When we say cloth diapers, it does not mean only one thing – the modern cloth diapers with adjustable snaps and inserts. For different needs and times of the day, there are different bumwear and cloth diapers to choose from. Padded underwear, regular underwear, langots and feel dry nappies are examples of varying kinds of cloth diapers. Mix and match for nap time, potty training, travel time etc., and this will make the diapering journey easier for you and your little one.
- Not Changing Timely – A dirty bum and a diaper that stays for too long and is not changed on time can lead to diaper rashes, even if you are making your child wear a cloth diaper. Thus, not changing the diaper every 3 – 4 hours, even if the baby has not pooped, is a big mistake you must avoid.
- Not Buying Enough Cloth Diapers – Compared to disposable diapers, you only need 16 diapers to exclusively cloth diapers for your baby. But suppose you think that you will manage the laundry in a way that you can minimise the number of diapers, in times of emergency or a rainy day etc. In that case, you will have no extra diapers or reliability on disposable ones. Thus, in the first few weeks, gauge the requirement and buy adequate cloth diapers to last you the whole laundry cycle.
- Using Synthetic Material – The whole point of using cloth diapers is to avoid plastic, synthetic and chemicals on your baby’s bum. But still, there are cheaper copies of cloth diapers available in the market that are made of synthetic material. So, avoid buying them and go for only good quality certified cotton cloth diapers.
- Not Choosing The Right Size – Sometimes, we parents have the mindset to buy everything a size larger so that it will last for longer, don’t we. But this is a wrong practice when it comes to cloth diapers. Wrong sized diapers can cause rashes and chaff. Moreover, cloth diapers are adjustable; thus, you can adjust them as your baby grows. Therefore, always choose a right-sized diaper.
- Not Cleaning The Cloth Diapers Properly – If the cloth diapers are not cleaned properly before storing, a gap between removing the diaper and washing them can cause damage to the fabric. In addition, the colour of the lining would change, the life of the cloth diaper might also reduce, and if there is any detergent build-up, it can cause rashes on your baby’s sensitive skin.
- Not Using The Right Detergent – Liquid detergents containing fragrances can reduce the life of your cloth diapers. Thus, choosing the right detergent such as SuperBottoms Cloth Diaper Detergent, will ensure that your diapers’ life is longer. Conversely, a generic detergent not suitable for cloth diapers is a major mistake one might make and must avoid.
- Not Understanding Travel Time Diapering – At times, parents might assume that travel time diapering is a challenge and thus move to disposable diapers while out and about. Travel time diapering is not a significant task if you understand it and have the right accessories with you. This can become a tedious job. Thus, moving to disposables and not understanding travel time diapering is yet another mistake that can be avoided, and money on disposable can be saved!
- Not Using The Right Accessories & Products – Certain products like antiseptic liquids, etc., can reduce the life of your cloth diapers. You need to read up all about cloth diapers and how to increase their life and fully use them to know what goes with them and what should be avoided. Similarly, some must-haves will make your life easier as a cloth diapering parent – things like waterproof cloth bags for storing soiled diapers while travelling, cloth diaper laundry detergent etc., will make the journey easier for you.
- Having An All Or Nothing Attitude – As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, cloth diapering is an art that takes a few trials to master. However, do not give up easily. And do note that if you once had to use disposable diapers, you have failed to master this art. Consistency is the key, and even a few diapers saved from being sent to landfills is a significant victory!
Do not get overwhelmed reading a long list of things you need to avoid to become a pro cloth diapering parent! It takes just a few trials, at times just one shot at understanding the sizing and adjustment of the cloth diapers. Rest, just like any new product we buy, we need to keep things in mind to increase the life of that product. Once these small things you need to remember become a habit, you would be one of the advocates teaching other new parents how to cloth diaper their babies. Happy diapering!
