[Artisan]

I have several friends who think cloth diapering just takes too long and is too much trouble, and I'm trying to convince them otherwise. On average, how much time per week do you spend on cloth diaper related activities? (Not changing diapers -- things you do "extra" because of CDs.)

Be sure to include:
-- Dunking/spraying off
-- Washing
-- Hanging out to dry, if applicable
-- Sunning
-- Folding/putting away
-- Stuffing pockets/matching doublers

Thanks!

 

[Artisan]

I voted for 30-60 minutes, which works out to be only about 5-10 mn per day. I could spend less time if I had a bigger diaper pail and didn't have to wash every other day. I could also spend less time if my DS wasn't in daycare and I didn't have to make sure his AIOs are washed, put together, and packed every night.

 

[CortLong]

I voted 30-60 minutes, BUT if you include the time I spend online drooling over diapers it'd be a LOT more than that!

 

[reeseccup]

takes maybe 2-5 min of my time each time. so we'll say 5 min x 3=15 min a week, and spraying maybe a min per poo so we'll round up and say 10 min of that a week = 25 min. on diapers a week. geeeeeeeeeeeze dunno,

does that seem like too much time spent on doing diapering? See though, to me it's not a "time issue" since it doesn't take much time nor effort to fill the washer and the toss in the dryer the put in a basket and fold if I feel like it while watching tv (whereas otherwised I'd just be sitting idle watching tv) and placing on the dresser where I keep them wow woopie doo. I just dont' understand the "it's too much work, it takes up too much time" argument ykwim. I feel the weeee bit of effort/work is worth it for my baby and my pocket book. I don't factor in time because to me it's a non-issue when it comes to diapering, but geeze how much time does one take to go buy the disposables, factoring in driving time, gettting kids in and out of car, pushing buggy all the way to the diapers, deciding on which coupon

goes with what diaper, waiting in line to check out, the driving home, stuffing the diaper genie, emptying the diaper sausage, refilling it, taking out trash, spraying around the area because it STINKS, ect. See why I think it's incomparrable? Either one has it's time consumptions, just in different ways. Reese

 

[Marco Esquandolas]

I tried to go back to when diapering was most labor intensive for me: dunking 4-5 bm's per day, rinsing them before they went in the pail, line drying, and matching doublers and stuffing pockets and I still only hit around 2+ hours per week. Not too bad, eh??? Now that the weather is too yucky to line dry and he does bm's on the potty, my only real time investment is stuffing/matching and that is only a matter of minutes.

 

[MiaPia]

I voted 2+ hours but I could *easily* spend less time. I do dipes usually every day, but I ENJOY diaper laundry. It's not a chore to me at all. I like to take my time sorting/folding/stuffing/putting it all away. Heaven to me is sitting on the floor in the kids room surrounded by piles of freshly laundered fluff! If I found it a "chore" then I would get it done much more quickly, and I'd vote in the 30-60 min range!

 

[natesmommy126]

I voted an hour +, but if you counted all the time I spend looking at new ones and drooling over them, it would be more. I have got to stop this obsession.

 

[feebeeglee]

I voted 30-60 min.

I have never used sposies regularly, but it has gotta be more trouble to go to the store, esp a far away or special store, i.e. Sams or Wally to get dipes unexpectedly, right? I don't have to get the kids dressed, loaded in car, drive to store, find/buy dipes, reload kids in car (lugging bulky pack of sposies home too), unload kids/car... I just walk down to the basement. And I timed the difference between dumping sposie poop and dunking poopy dipe and it took 15sec vs 45sec. So I guess that's 3 times as long but c'mon :LOL

 

[LuvMy2Kidz]

When I first opened this thread I thought you were asking how much time we spend HERE in diapering :LOL I was thinking oh nooo, do I answer this honestly or lie :LOL :LOL

But then I read your post and I spend on average 1 hour or so, I wash twice a week, and fold twice a week/put away etc. BUT I included the waiting time b/t wash and dry :LOL

 

[UlrikeDG]

I said 0-30 min. I think washing diapers takes a little more time, but it's also a lot more convenient than hauling a bag of them downstairs to the dumpster. I can start a load of diapers in my PJs, for example, and I never get rained on. Not to mention I'd have to get Nadia all bundled up against the cold to take her out with me, because she's still too little to leave inside with her big brother & sister, and Eva would want to go out with me every time, so I'd have to stop to tie her shoes. Gee, now I'm not so convinced that it takes any more time than 'sposies would. LOL I never run out, and I never have to make a special trip to the store just for diapers.

 

[cvharris]

Am I the only one who voted 3+ hours? Maybe I'm crazy but we change 8 x a day and I estimate 2 minutes extra to snap and stuff anything - so 16 minutes a day which is almost two hours over the week.

DS poops 3-4 x a day and I spray with a minishower...I estimate AT LEAST an extra 5 minutes a day spraying his bf poopies so add another half hour.

And I wash at least twice a week and look at everything so I can sun anything that might have a stain so I estimate the washing to be an hour a week, at least.

That puts me over 3 hours.

 

[chaos_pie]

well....I do think the bottom line is that it DOES take more time. I think that the greatest time is "psychic" time. That time in your brain that you must allot to :
(1) remember to rinse out poopy diapers
(2) remember to wash (do an extra rinse/ add vinegar or whatever special you might do to you wash)
(3) go back and move to dryer
(4) take from dryer and take back to changing area (unless your changing area is in your laundry area)
(5) organize (ie-stuff, match, whatever you do with your "system")
(6) remember to deal with pail infrequently (clean, deodorize...whatever you might do)

You can argue, and I personally would agree, that these things don't take a lot of time (or you don't need to do or you do infrequently). However, these are all things that you likely have to do with cloth that you do not really do with disposables. These are extra things that you must keep in your mind to get done throughout the day/ week. And if you are someone that is already feeling overwhelmed managing getting things done then adding in a few extra things to squeeze in during the day is a lot.

Really when you use disposables the only thing you have to keep in mind is "do I have any" and next time you are at the store pick some up (it usually is not a trip in and of itself)...it can be combined with grocery shopping etc...And taking out the garbage (which you are already doing and again can be combined).

I think that the best argument that using cloth is that "yes it does take more time but you do it because it is valued to you". And each person has their own value (ie-health reasons, environmental, economic etc...)

 

[*solsticemama*]

I'm having a hard time separating IRL diapering from 'virtual' diapering :LOL

 

[chaos_pie]

Quote:

Originally posted by solsticemama I'm having a hard time separating IRL diapering from 'virtual' diapering :LOL

virtual diapering, psychic diapering and just plain ole diapering :LOL :LOL :LOL

 

[natashaccat]

I voted 2+ hours because I have to take my diapers to the laundrymat or my dh's work to wash them. If I choose not to fold or line dry I could maybe shave a 1/2 hour off of that.

If I had my own washer it would be about a 1/2 hour I think, how long does it really to dump a load them in the washer and turn it on? My solution to poo diapers is to dry pail them seperately and prewash them on the lowest water setting so no time spent dunking or spraying there.

 

[blazfglori]

I voted for 30-60 minutes.

I wash dipes 2-3 times per week and fold 'em as they come out of the dryer, which doesn't take long at all.