Okay, so it's pretty easy to change just a wet diaper, but kids poop too. What then? Most of the time with poopy diapers, the cover stays clean and you just wipe it out and re-use it. Sometimes a poop will be so BIG that the insert will not be able to contain it and the edges of the diaper will get soiled. That is a clear sign that it is time to wash. Do not worry though, I have NEVER had a blow out while using cloth diapers. They are pretty good at containing the poop. So it might look good from the outside, but be a nightmare on the inside, but hey- at least it's not all over your kid's clothes as well!
When you are exclusively breast feeding, you don't need to rinse or plunge your diapers before washing them, you can just throw those diapers in with your wet ones and wash them all together because breast-milk baby poo is water soluble.
Bigger babies have solid poops and that is not an option. You have no choice but to dump the poop into the toilet. (my favorite part! NOT!) Sometimes (when you are lucky) the poop will just fall off and you can go on your merry ol' way. Other times (when you are not so lucky) the poop with be thoroughly smashed into the cloth. Then you must plunge.
There are other options now though:
Diaper Sprayer: it hooks up to your toilet and you use it to hose off the poop. They are pretty expensive but you can try this site for instructions on how to make your own for way cheaper. I do not have one. I have read some reviews and lots of people rave about them, while others complain of getting sprayed with poopy water. No thanks. I'd rather just get my hands a little wet and poopy instead of my whole body. But who knows, if you are careful it might work for you.
A Plastic Utensil or Something of the Sort: the idea is to get the poop off without touching it. Just scrap away until the poop comes off. I sometimes use this method and unfortunately it does take some additional plunging sometimes...which is why I am thankful for warm running water and soap.
Flushable Liners: you put the liner over your insert before putting the diaper on. When baby poops you simply dump the liner in the toilet and flush it and the poop away. I have been using these for awhile, and really LOVE them. You have to be careful though, if your baby moves around as much as mine does, the liner can bunch up and be rendered useless. To solve this problem, I just fold the liner around my insert to keep it in place and don't usually have a problem. Even though they are really cheap, to save on liners, I have come to know my child's poop schedule and only use the liners at the times she usually poops. It's kind of risky but for the most part it works.
After cleansing the diaper of poop, I put it into an ice cream bucket with a lid that I keep under the sink next to the toilet. Even with the poop cleaned out, these diapers can really produce a nasty smell that I don't want to experience every time I change a wet diaper. Some people keep these ones in a bucket of water.
WORD OF CAUTION Almost no matter what the circumstance, ALWAYS clean the poopy diapers immediately after changing your child's diaper. If you don't, you will regret it...a lot. I am saying this from experience. If you clean right away staining is not likely to occur...but if you don't...it not only stains, it is harder to get out and the smell has had time to ferment into something rancid.
Don't get Discouraged: Okay, so the poopy diaper part is enough to make anyone say that disposables are worth it. It is true, changing a poopy diaper can take a lot of work and effort (meaning effort not to gag and throw up or toss it all in the garbage) But after awhile you get used to it. I promise. I only gag some of the time now :) If you are on top of things you will change your child's diaper before they have time to really smash the poop into the cloth and avoid the nastier cases. Sometimes you just get a kid that has a runny poop. The secret: you deal with it as it comes.
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