Diapers

In preparation for the impending birth of our baby, I have been sewing our cloth diapers. After consulting with several friends in the States about their preferences for diapers, I did my own research online about the various types of cloth diapers they told me about. There are all sorts of websites that both explain the differences between (Chinese) prefolds, pocket diapers and all in ones. They also proclaim the virtues of cloth diapers over disposables; but in Mozambique, the reality is if I want to cover my baby's bum, I have to use cloth diapers. Disposables are not always realiably in stock in the size one needs at the moment. Additionally, as another couple who have a baby pointed out in defense of using cloth diapers, they did not want to see their baby's soiled diapers on the trash heap outside their house. As I wrote in a previous post, I have not been able to find many cloth diapers here in Johannesburg. So in the absence of finding them, I decided to sew them.


I found a website that gave directions for how to sew one's own cloth diapers. By the end of my sewing project we will be the proud possessors of 22 prefold, 100% cotton, flannel diapers for an infant 0-6 months and 2 prefolds of the same material for babies 6-24 months. The type of prefold diapers that I am making consiste of 6 layers of flannel in the center third of the diaper, encased by two layers of flannel to complete the remainder of the diaper. I concentrated on the smaller size because they are the most urgent. Joel also bought some larger cloth diapers in Moz. The fun part of sewing our own diapers is that I could chose fun designs. So we have some that are green with various colored polka dots, some that are light blue with bears and others that are light blue with little dogs playing in the snow.

The next trick will be learning how to change the baby! And for the remainder of our time with MCC in Mozambique, we will be becoming adept at handwashing all these diapers! :)