Two in Cloth

Today is the first day of having both kids in cloth diapers. Actually, Harrison is the only one (back) in them so far; Raegan had her four-month well-baby visit this morning, so she will try them out for the first time this afternoon. I am both ready for and dreading this.

To be honest, I have really enjoyed using cloth diapers. We started with Harrison in them full-time when he was round three months old. I waited that long because there was so much other new stuff going on when he was born that I wasn't sure I could handle a reusable diaper routine on top of everything else. Once we got past the newborn dirties (sorry if this is TMI), it was more feasible and we settled into a great routine using our Bummis Super Snap Wraps and prefold cloth diapers. Super easy. No pins - just folding, including a flushable/biodegradable liner, and snapping shut.  For the most part, they have worked like a dream ever since. We have always used Pampers at night and when we travel, so perhaps we've always cheated a little bit, but we've been happy with our choice and how we have implemented it.

When Raegan was born, I again stocked up on newborn and size one Pampers because I knew that having two in diapers was going to be challenging enough in the beginning and, quite frankly, I really did not want to do the newborn dirties. At this point we were still in the old house, so I had my system all set with Harrison and he stayed in cloth through the first half of January. Then we moved and in some ways, all chaos broke lose.

As you know if you've been reading these posts, life has been a little rocky here lately. Lots of transitions in our life and family have led us to using terms like "hot mess" and "a house on wheels" to describe our day-to-day. Some days we have been all of the above - a hot mess on wheels, so you can imagine my hesitancy to throw diaper duty on top of all that.

But here we are in mid-March, with Raegan being four months and our family having been in the new house for almost two. It is time. Plus, I am really sick of buying two boxes of Pampers every week, even with coupons! So yesterday I finally pushed Ben to get the diaper sprayer set up (fantastic device you attach to your toilet to spray clean dirty diapers - every family should have one just to take care of blow-outs and other food/life messes on clothes!). I pulled out my prefolds and both sets (small and medium) of wrap covers. I folded, I stacked, and I organized in both bedrooms so both kiddos would have the necessary supplies to start this grand adventure today.

So far, perhaps because it is only one of them, it hasn't been bad at all. Harrison did balk a little bit when I put the first diaper on him this morning; right away told me he wanted to take it off. I responded that he either had to wear it or use the big potty and that was pretty much the end of the whining because clearly we are not ready for the big potty yet.  Poor guy did walk away with his legs a little askew, though; the cloth diapers are a bit bulkier, so I'm sure it does feel funny/different after so much time in disposables. Now, halfway through the day, he seems to be adjusting just fine. And even if they are a little uncomfortable, so be it. Maybe that will motivate him to use the big potty sooner than later. 

Now we'll just need to see what Little Miss thinks of them and what Mama thinks of dueling diaper changes that can't just be tossed in the trash, not to mention staying on top of all the laundry. Thankfully the sun will be out this week for assistance in drying (and bleaching); the biggest shift will just be doing a load most days instead of every two or three.

Wish me luck (and not too many messes)!!