changing diapers: week 2

we've officially been cloth diapering for 2 weeks now. it's been crazy. some days are better than others, and truthfully there have been days when i've wanted to give up completely. that stash of disposables is still there in my closet, just in case. cloth diapering doesn't feel like our way of life yet, but i am still determined to give this a whole-hearted try.

on day one i bought the gDiaper starter kit (size Medium, for my 25lb 18monther.) why gDiapers? because i like the option of being able to throw away the soiled part of the diaper and it's biodegradable. i like hybrids. it came with 2 cloth pants (super cute bright orange and 'vanilla'), 3 vinyl snap-in liners, and 14 flushies. oh, and a stick that i had no idea what was for until i got home and watched the gDiaper videos on YouTube. that's when i first realized: this is going to get messy.

warning- grody to the max content ahead. 

the stick is for stirring the poo in the potty. also for breaking up the soiled flushable insert in the water, before flushing. it's a swish stick. and like it or not, it's part of our diaper-changing routine now.

by day 3 we were completely out of flushable inserts and had no way to get to the store to get more. much to Hubby's delight but against my want-to, we used disposables for 2 days. i was bummed but not giving up.

{i should point out that, other than admiring himself in the mirror with his new orange diaper, Bubba did not seem to notice this big change at all. oblivious.}

as soon as i could, i restocked the flushies stash and vowed never to run out again. i also ordered 8 gCloth inserts from DiaperSwappers (my new favorite website!), to give full-cloth a try. the gCloths are used instead of the flushies, it goes straight to the laundry when soiled. like real cloth diapers.

day 6 was our first overnight in the gDiaper. up until then i was putting on a disposable right before bedtime. i was scared of leaks. Bubba is such a good sleeper (which means Mama sleeps good too) and i didn't want him to wake up. i didn't want him to be wet or uncomfortable at all. i love undistrubed nights of rest. don't you?

but day 6 i said "let's do this." i put a fresh flushie on him, said a little prayer, and put him to bed. he was not wet when he woke up. no leaks! the flushie was soaked but it did not get thru to his pants. he was happy, we were well-rested, and i was happy.

on day 7 i washed the vanilla g pants in the washing machine for the first time. until then i was handwashing as needed in my bathroom sink using peppermint-scented Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. and then i noticed our washer has a 'handwash/delicates' setting. so i threw in the soiled g pants AND the vinyl liner with a small load of towels. after the wash cycle i put the g pant in the dryer, also on the delicates setting. i laid out the liner to air-dry. the g pants came out just fine! i expected pilling or velcro issues, i was even thinking the little 'g' on the pant might come off but nope. they still look great. i have washed them 2 times since and am very pleased with how they've kept their shape and quality. 

overall? so far so good.

the bottom line is this: i'm not going to single-handedly save or kill the planet over this, so it might as well be fun, right? when it stops being fun, when i am stressed out about changing diapers, that's when it's not worth it anymore.