Cloth Diaper Choices
Daycare and Cloth Diapers
The purchase and use of cloth diapers helps to protect our planet. Many families also find cloth diapers more economical than disposable diapers. For others the use of cloth diapers may be due to fewer diaper rashes or allergies. Regardless of the reason families choose cloth diapers, one major obstacle can be “What to do about Daycare?”
When scouting potential daycare facilities, parents who wish to cloth diaper often dread asking the question, “Will you accept cloth diapers?” Some facilities will state they cannot “do cloth.” Be prepared to respond; do the research ahead of time and be knowledgeable of any restrictions included in your state’s laws and codes regarding cloth diapers. Most likely there are none and the refusal is directly from the daycare providers who are unaware of the ease of use and modernization of today’s cloth diapers. They only know from their previous experience - 1970’s-era rectangular flat diapers with pins and plastic covers. Take samples to show your potential daycare provider BEFORE asking if they take children in cloth diapers; show them how the diapers look and work. Show them the wet bags and clarify your intent to remove all soiled cloth diapers daily to take home and launder.
Some states, such as New Jersey, do have legislation regarding the use of cloth wipes. Again, you will need to check your individual state restrictions. If a daycare facility is licensed in your state, then they are required to follow the state’s laws.
For more information, here are two articles by Examiners at Examiner.com:
- Using cloth diapers at childcare: How to make it work and how to talk with your daycare provider by Frugal Family Examiner
- Cloth diapering 101: Cloth diapers and New Jersey daycare by Newark Cloth Diapering Examiner
Do you have any suggestions regarding cloth diapers at childcare that you would like to share?
Tags: accept CLOTH DIAPERS, choose cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, cloth diaper, cloth diapers in daycare, cloth wipes, disposable diapers, modernized clothdiapers, today's diapers, www.softclothbunz.comCloth Diaper Blog is published by www.diaperjunction.com.
Discussion
8 comments for “Daycare and Cloth Diapers”
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Thanks for this post.
Our day care just got back to us that they will be able to use our cloth diapers, thank goodness. They stated that apparently the issue would be having pins, which means they clearly don’t know much about modern cloth diapering!! They also are looking into the wetbags and if they will “work”. They stated we may need to have some type of pail, which I think is funny, because a wetbag that zips and kids can’t get into seems like a much better idea than something with a lid that easily opens!
I agree with em (comment #1) about the pail vs wetbag. I don’t use a daycare facility, but it seems to me that it’s just like individuals: people simply don’t know what cloth diapering has become, and the more people are educated, the more accepted cloth diapering will become.
We see a lot of daycares (both centers and home-based providers) in the Boston area agreeing to use cloth diapers. We usually encourage people to use all-in-ones or pre-stuffed pockets with flushable liners already laid on the diaper to make it as easy as possible (with a wet-bag as well). Another good argument: using cloth diapers could actually save them money by decreasing their disposal costs! Like you said, most centers don’t know how easy it is and are thinking of the “old-style” cloth diapers!
My twin girls started daycare shortly after they turned 2 and I was very happy the center agreed to use cloth. They admitted later on that they were scared at first, but that it really was pretty easy. I brought in pre-stuffed pockets and all-in-ones with either a flushable or fleece liner. Since they told me that each diaper would be put in a plastic bag I went ahead and got a bunch of small wet bags and they’d use those and then put all of the small ones into a large wet bag. They had told me they weren;t allowed to “touch poop”, but after the first week I noticed they were even flushing the more solid poop.
I started using cloth diapers when my daughter was 10 months old, due to constant diaper rash. My daycare was very hesitant to use them; they had all sorts of questions and requirements. I had to get a doctor’s note to say it was medically necessary, and provide a diaper pail (a wet bag was not considered appropriate for the center). They tried to persuade me to try other diapers and creams, anything but cloth. After getting everything they needed, I brought them in and everyone was surprised at how easy they are, and I could not be happier! I still get some comments about them, but now they are mostly positive, they realize they take the same amount of work as disposals, after all I do all of the washing. Some of her teachers are even recommending them to their family members after learning about the new styles of cloth diapers.
SO GLAD to see this article. I’m working on digging into the policies regarding cloth diapers in my son’s daycare which is on an army post. apparently it is a military regulation/policy to not accept cloth diapers because of the risk of communicable diseases!!! I plan to dig into our state’s regulations as well as the specific wording of the diaper policy in the military. I just worry about repercussions against my hubby, a soldier, or against my son in daycare because of my diligence.
I just wanted everyone to know that when my little girl had to go to daycare, the center I brought her to allowed me to use the cloth diapers. I had to ask the owner of the center, which I knew from high school, and she said that the girls would have to use them(workers of the center) becuase they do not have any choice. But she also used cloth diapers on her children and said the exact same thing I did. Better fo rthe environment, and cheaper in the long run! So she said definitly to bring them as well as a pail or wet bag to put them in. So I hope everyone who uses cloth diapers finds a center who will allow them to bring their cloth diapers!
I just wanted everyone to know that when my little girl had to go to daycare, the center I brought her to allowed me to use the cloth diapers. I had to ask the owner of the center, which I knew from high school, and she said that the girls would have to use them(workers of the center) becuase they do not have any choice. But she also used cloth diapers on her children and said the exact same thing I did. Better fo rthe environment, and cheaper in the long run! So she said definitly to bring them as well as a pail or wet bag to put them in. So I hope everyone who uses cloth diapers finds a center who will allow them to bring their cloth diapers!