(no subject)

[ocelot]

Since every single person who has commented on my cloth diaper post both on-journal and off has suggested a diaper service, I'll go ahead and respond with a post instead of to each person individually :)

We are looking into it, especially during the month before we move - the laundry room here is coin operated, often too crowded, and just far enough away to be annoying. Laundry has, in the past year and a half, changed from one of my more tolerable chores to a source of never-ending torture. I think I just might go insane trying to do cloth diapers here along with everything else that comes with being a new mother and moving.

When we move, a washing machine is one of my top priorities :)

We're also looking into elimination communication. Sounds like it's at least worth a try. That's unlikely to cut down on the diaper laundry short term, but, if it works, it would in the long run.

(And if you tell me I'm naive or crazy, I'm just not going to listen to you. So there :)

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Most folks I know who've used diaper service (including two schools where I've worked with infants and toddlers) have found it no more expensive than disposables.

I read (on a frugal-baby web site) about one woman who washed out diapers in the tub and hung them to dry, but I'm not sure I'd want baby shit in my bathtub.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I think it's really going to end up depending on the expense and convenience.

Here, if we're doing 1 load of laundry a day at $1.50 per load (plus laundry detergent), a diaper service is probably about equal in cost, and the annoyance is almost certainly enough to make a diaper service worth it.

Elsewhere, if the costs are lower and annoyance factor less, it may not be.

If I had to hand-wash them in a tub, I'd almost certainly go with a diaper service unless I was broke.

[figgy-newton.livejournal.com]

Yeah, changing diapers is one thing... hand-washing them in a tub is completely another *shivers* yuck!

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

Dang. I wish you had mentioned this a few months back when Wen was first born. :-p It sounds wonderful. And it might just might get Alaric's attention away from his mind where he seems to be living all the time. I can't honestly claim to catch every signal that the girls give but I definitely catch more than he does. I might just give the EC a try as Wen hates having Alaric change her diaper and keeps trying to get away from her diaper when I change it. Plus one never knows. It might spur Pirate to finish potty training.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

There's a mailing list (rather overwhelmingly high traffic for me, though). Information is on that web page. Several people have posted recently saying that they haven't had as much trouble starting EC with older babies (in the 7-10 month range) as many of the websites indicate. So it might at least be worth a try.

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

I'll see about joining the mailing list. Last night when Wen woke at her normal 01:00 I took her into the bathroom and put her on the potty and she fussed for a bit til I knelt down in front of the potty and put my arms around her. I was talking all the while about how we were going to experiment with this. So after about 20 seconds of talking to her and kneeling in front of her and rubbing her back she peed in the potty. Pirate seemed to be amazed. I think it might just be viable. It would definitely solve Wen's dislike of being laid down to change her diaper.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's cool! It's always surprising to me to hear people who say it works, even though intellectually it makes sense to me.

If you keep going with it, I'd like to hear how it goes :)

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

So far so good. Alaric said he's willing to try it with me. So if you want to bug him for updates if I'm not around, go for it. We've decided not to buy any more diapers for Wen or Pull-ups for Pirate. Once the current supply is gone Wen will be sitting on cloth diapers and Pirate will be wearing pantys. You might notice an increase in frustration levels about Pirate in the coming weeks.