How to Afford a Baby: Diapering

One of the biggest and longest baby expenses is diapers, especially for those with two or more kids in diapers at once. Consider these other diapering options to help you save money.

• Cloth diapers: They require a lot of money up front, but not if you start as soon as you find out you're expecting and buy a couple cloth diapers every month. The cheapest way to go is prefolds and covers. For convenience, use all-in-ones (AIOs) or pocket diapers that grow with your baby. The only extra expense is special detergent which is pricier than regular detergent, but since you use so little per wash, it lasts a long time. For more information, read my post on cloth diapers.
• Cloth wipes: Cloth diapers may not be your thing, but cloth wipes or homemade wipes can be. I use cheap baby washcloths and a fleece shirt I cut up into squares (fleece is soft and doesn't stain easily). Just spray them with water and wipe after wet diapers or non-mushy dirty diapers. We have saved so much money on disposable wipes by only using them for big messes.
• Elimination communication: Also known as infant potty training, EC teaches your baby to recognize the urge to go, communicate that with you, and wait until on the potty to go. This worked for my son from 4 to 10 months old (read our journey with infant potty training). Obviously, the advantage here is that you use significantly less diapers and wipes.
• Disposable diapers: If you want to stick with disposable, ask for diapers size 2 and up for your baby shower. Most people receive newborn and size 1, and babies outgrow them quickly, so ask friends for any leftover diapers they have.