want to CD with 3rd child but seems too hard

[dex_millie]

Anybody cloth diapering while dealing with other young children? In feb. I will have 3 under 5(4y.o, 23month and new baby) This baby will be my third and although I want to diaper(I did basically completely with my first, then halfly with my 2nd) it seem like a lot of work and frustration. I see some people so it is no more work but that is not true. How do you find time while taking care 2 or more children.

Little about my situation:

We live in an apt. with no washer and dryer. Well we do have a portable washer my mom gave me. Everytime we use it we have to roll it in the kitchen, hook it up, do laundry, take it to the laundrymat to dry or hang it on a small clothing line we have hanging in our room. Then drain the water from it and roll it back out from the kitchen. It takes up alot of the kitchen area too. Doing that a few times a week is very tiring. I also work parttime from home and have no family in the area, I am thinking of hiring a mommy helper for the first few months though if we can afford it.

I mostly used flats and prefolds but I am thinking if I CD this baby I need something easier like AIO's, fitted, ect... I can sew so I don't mind making some.

I am not counting on DH much as he would likely be doing the laundry for all 5 of us, working, cooking and still needing his break. He was on board with CDing the last two but thinks it will be too much on me with the third.

Any advice,

[Nicole730]

That sounds like way too much work to me! I don't think I would do it...

But, if you are interested in making your own stuff, I have a few homemade PUL outer, suedecloth inner pockets that have been working well. Witih your set up, I'd totally do pockets over AIO - easier to clean and easier to dry. I got both the PUL and suedcloth at JoAnn's.

If I was set on doing cloth with this one, I'd definitely do flats, due to the wash/dry routine.

When I had DD, DS was only 22 months. I only lasted with him in cloth for a couple months and then decided it was time for him to use the potty. Doing diapers every single day was not fun. We have a fairly large stash, so I usually wait quite a few days inbetween washing and do 2-3 loads on diaperwash day. It is a lot harder to do now that I have 2 kids do lug down to the basement for each rinse/wash/rinse - outside to dry, etc... I can't imagine taking them to the laundromat every other day.

Good luck!

[Kuba'sMama]

I live in an apt too, but we do have a nice laundry facility. However, i built up my stash of prefolds/covers so that I only need to wash them about once a week. Would that be an option for you? i usually rinse out the poo, or at least soak the poopy ones in water with vinegar. Makes things a bit easier. I would probably organize my laundry so that one day a week would be laundry day (preferably when husband is home), and go to laundromat and do it all at once, using multiple washes. Or if you mentioned you might be hiring help, that might be a good job to outsource.
Good luck!

[dex_millie]

Originally Posted by Kuba'sMama

I live in an apt too, but we do have a nice laundry facility. However, i built up my stash of prefolds/covers so that I only need to wash them about once a week. Would that be an option for you? i usually rinse out the poo, or at least soak the poopy ones in water with vinegar. Makes things a bit easier. I would probably organize my laundry so that one day a week would be laundry day (preferably when husband is home), and go to laundromat and do it all at once, using multiple washes. Or if you mentioned you might be hiring help, that might be a good job to outsource.
Good luck!

My method is flats and prefolds with covers so I know that method but I find it was too much work because of the folding and pinning(snappi) then cover, then rinsing out, it was crazy, I had many of them end up getting mold on it because I was just tired. And it discourages DH after a while and even me. I thought if I got something more like disposies it would be a little easier and DH would be back on board with CD, as of now he thinks my previous method is too much.

And I don't count on DH for certain things, he would see it and just leave it thinking that was just my responsibility.

WE are planning on moving to a different apt. soon, so maybe we can afford one with a washer/dryer and things will be much different.