I have been feeling deliciously guilty about the rather decadent (in my opinion) diaper stash I’ve accumulated for boy #3. I totally splurged on one-size bamboo fitteds, a few snazzy Gen-Y covers and a variety of pockets — some new, some clearance, some like-new or gently-used. I also bought a handful of bamboo and hemp inserts to replace the microfibre inserts in the pocket diapers. I knit several pairs of wool shorties and soakers, something that would have cost me a fair amount to purchase but only cost me $$ in yarn to make.
Yes, I was feeling almost naughty about the amount of money invested in the diaper stash, at least until I read this: Battle For Baby’s Bottom. I’ve always known that cloth is cheaper in the long run — I work in a cloth diaper shop, for crying out loud! I deal with the numbers every time I’m at work. I know that a child can be cloth diapered from birth to toilet training for an outlay of around $400, including the “extras” needed (wet pail, travel bag, Snappis, etc). I am also intimately aware with the resale value of cloth diapers that have been well cared for over their lifespan, having bought and sold used diapers myself. For some reason, though, this article made me sit down and do the mental math on the true cost of our stash.
I had no impulse to do that with the first two, so it’s been fun.
