Fuzzy Bottoms

Today was Isabelle's first fully cloth-diapered day.

Jules and I decided to try cloth diapers mainly on the recommendation of our friends and one of the couples in our NCT group, not only for green reasons but that we presume the cost savings will be huge over time. At £12 a pack for Pampers, one pack every week and a half or so, it's going to add up quickly. So before she was born we bought a gigantic box of reusable Bum Genius diapers, but sadly, Isabelle has only just started to fit in them so we haven't had the chance to try "clothies" before now. As I understand it they are a big improvement over old cloth diapers; as you can see in the picture they look and act just like disposable except that they're made of flannel with a nylon outer cover that prevents leaks.

I dunno... it's was a long day of getting used to the feel of cloth on her bottom. She was very cranky and it seemed like we were changing more frequently than usual. I'm not sure she's convinced. I'm not sure I'm convinced. Obvious pros are: they are soft against the skin, they are stupidly easy to use, they are absorbent, and out of the 6 we used today I'll be able to use all 6 again tomorrow. Nothing goes in the trash. However, the cons are: they are bulky, they are heavy, they're kind of wide in the crotch area and make her legs stick out like doll legs, and breastmilk poo just clings to the fabric (which is GROSS). Also, the environmental jury seems to be out regarding the laundry factor (you have to wash them on the "boil" setting, which is a clear energy waster). So, I don't know. We'll try again tomorrow to see if she's any more amenable.

Is there anyone reading who has experience with cloth vs. disposable diapers? I'd love to hear what you know.