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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Cloth Diapers in MA
happymom 01:04 PM 03-31-2017
Anyone based in MA? My friend is cloth diapering and looking for daycare. I looked at the licensing and it says
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
Kajada 01:15 PM 03-31-2017
I can't help regarding your state's regulations, but in my Canadian province, families who use cloth diapers supply the diapers and a wet bag. Diapers go in the wet bag and the parents take the bag at the end of the day. Pretty easy. I personally love cloth diapers and fully welcome them in my daycare.
happymom 01:22 PM 03-31-2017
Yeah I cloth diaper and use a wet bag here. My daycare requires they go OUTSIDE the building (much to my dismay, sometimes they are frozen/dripping wet from rain/or 110 degrees) but eh, I guess it's what I get for choosing not to contribute to the landfill.
I am still shocked by the fact that out of the 16 under 2 kids in my daycare center and all of the 2's that are still in diapers, mine is the only one in cloth --- even though it seems like it's becoming more popular.
I am still shocked by the fact that out of the 16 under 2 kids in my daycare center and all of the 2's that are still in diapers, mine is the only one in cloth --- even though it seems like it's becoming more popular.
happymom 01:23 PM 03-31-2017
Maybe a wetbag inside a 3 gallon bucket with a lid would suffice?
e.j. 02:19 PM 03-31-2017
Originally Posted by happymom:
Anyone based in MA? My friend is cloth diapering and looking for daycare. I looked at the licensing and it says
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
The regs on cloth diapering do state, "soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day" but there are other regs that factor in as well. I've never done cloth diapers so I'm not sure if I'm correct in my thinking but I'd be concerned about where I'd store the plastic container all day. Space here is limited so it would be tough for me to find a place to put it that would allow me easy access to it but not allow the kids to get into it. If I were to put it outside, I'd have to leave the kids in the house alone or take them with me after each diaper change. I wonder if those might be some of the other providers' concerns, too?Anyone based in MA? My friend is cloth diapering and looking for daycare. I looked at the licensing and it says
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
Blackcat31 02:19 PM 03-31-2017
Originally Posted by happymom:
Anyone based in MA? My friend is cloth diapering and looking for daycare. I looked at the licensing and it says
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
My requirements say the same thing. The families I have that use cloth just use a sealable wetbag. Nothing too complicated. Anyone based in MA? My friend is cloth diapering and looking for daycare. I looked at the licensing and it says
"soiled non-disposable diapers are placed in a sealed plastic container labeled with the child’s name and returned to the child’s parents at the end of the day"
Just looking for ideas for what you have seen daycare's use to fulfill this requirement. My friend is running in to a lot of daycares who just won't do cloth at all "because of licensing requirements" -- but how it reads, it doesn't seem like licensing makes it all that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's her place to show them the wording and maybe see if they will work with her?
Not calling the provider's your friend is talking to but I am betting they are lying about not wanting to accept cloth due to licensing regulations. From the provider groups I have been in that have 1000's of providers across the US most of them use that excuse because they simply don't want to deal with cloth.
I understand them not wanting to deal with them because when done incorrectly there is a huge "ick" factor and I understand the sanitary issue too but done right it really is no big deal and isn't any additional time or action for me.
Blackcat31 02:25 PM 03-31-2017
I just keep the wetbag on hook in the bathroom.
I add newly soiled diapers as I change the child.
The wet bag is no more "accessible" to kids as the disposable diapers are so that isn't an issue either.
I add newly soiled diapers as I change the child.
The wet bag is no more "accessible" to kids as the disposable diapers are so that isn't an issue either.
racemom 03:16 PM 03-31-2017
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
My requirements say the same thing. The families I have that use cloth just use a sealable wetbag. Nothing too complicated.
Not calling the provider's your friend is talking to but I am betting they are lying about not wanting to accept cloth due to licensing regulations. From the provider groups I have been in that have 1000's of providers across the US most of them use that excuse because they simply don't want to deal with cloth.
I understand them not wanting to deal with them because when done incorrectly there is a huge "ick" factor and I understand the sanitary issue too but done right it really is no big deal and isn't any additional time or action for me.
My center is not going to accept cloth diapers anymore, because of this. We have had 2 families use them, and sadly the kids both stink! The diapers are disgusting, and she has talked with both mothers asking if they need stripped. Both say they do strip them. But if that is true why do their kids smell like ammonia or a barnyard all the time? I will be so glad when these families kids are potty trained so we can be done with cloth.My requirements say the same thing. The families I have that use cloth just use a sealable wetbag. Nothing too complicated.
Not calling the provider's your friend is talking to but I am betting they are lying about not wanting to accept cloth due to licensing regulations. From the provider groups I have been in that have 1000's of providers across the US most of them use that excuse because they simply don't want to deal with cloth.
I understand them not wanting to deal with them because when done incorrectly there is a huge "ick" factor and I understand the sanitary issue too but done right it really is no big deal and isn't any additional time or action for me.
Denali 04:06 PM 03-31-2017
Regs allow me to do cloth diapers, I can do them, I have, but I don't want to do them anymore so I don't. I'm honest about it though. I blame no one but my unwillingness to deal with them. It's my business and it is my choice. I would do them again with a doctors note stating an allergy to disposables mind you. I would not do it without a note though. Even then, I'd be iffy, because I've done that before, turned out the little boys "allergic reaction" to disposables was only while at daycare. Mom came to pick up and changed the DCB into a disposable because she didn't want to deal with cloth on a 45 minute plane trip. 😤 When pressed she blurted out that she'd lied to the doctor to get the note.
I don't do them is because I've never had parents that knew what they were doing with them. Or were just plain lazy and just seemed to want to cut corners or save money AS MUCH as possible.
The cloth diapers would come brand new. BUT they would only bring me 3 (usually this would include the one on the kid) for a 10 hour day, would forget the wet bag-but oh! Just use a plastic shopping bag! - would forget to bring more -can you just wash the one jr has on? It's not that hard. It's for the planet!
I'd require them to have the diapers ready to use, because the ones that I'd have brought to me would be TGE most complicated ones out there, but the parents would put only 1-2 together and shove the rest into the wet bag from the day before 🤢 These were the clean ones mind you. I've never dealt with a family that would clean the wet bag. It would be good for the first month-MAYBE-but then after that it reeked to all getback 🤢🤢🤢🤢😨😨😨 id unzip them and my whole house would reek 3-week old poop....
Or the parents didn't know how to clean them. Or didn't want to clean them properly, because To much work. It was never long before the cloth diapers would smell and look icky... never wanted to get new ones to replace leaky or horribly stained/really stinky ones, even after giving tips and print outs to help- it never changed until I said I was done all around.
Or the most common that I've felt with- "cloth diapers are awesome! I'm SO crunchy!" 2 months later "here's a pack of disposables. Cloth is to much work and are to expensive." 🙄
Cloth diapers ARE awesome. They are great for the planet and landfills. More people should use them. I just wish the parents that do (the ones I've dealt with would actually read about/and really realize what's actually needed to do it correctly.
I don't do them is because I've never had parents that knew what they were doing with them. Or were just plain lazy and just seemed to want to cut corners or save money AS MUCH as possible.
The cloth diapers would come brand new. BUT they would only bring me 3 (usually this would include the one on the kid) for a 10 hour day, would forget the wet bag-but oh! Just use a plastic shopping bag! - would forget to bring more -can you just wash the one jr has on? It's not that hard. It's for the planet!
I'd require them to have the diapers ready to use, because the ones that I'd have brought to me would be TGE most complicated ones out there, but the parents would put only 1-2 together and shove the rest into the wet bag from the day before 🤢 These were the clean ones mind you. I've never dealt with a family that would clean the wet bag. It would be good for the first month-MAYBE-but then after that it reeked to all getback 🤢🤢🤢🤢😨😨😨 id unzip them and my whole house would reek 3-week old poop....
Or the parents didn't know how to clean them. Or didn't want to clean them properly, because To much work. It was never long before the cloth diapers would smell and look icky... never wanted to get new ones to replace leaky or horribly stained/really stinky ones, even after giving tips and print outs to help- it never changed until I said I was done all around.
Or the most common that I've felt with- "cloth diapers are awesome! I'm SO crunchy!" 2 months later "here's a pack of disposables. Cloth is to much work and are to expensive." 🙄
Cloth diapers ARE awesome. They are great for the planet and landfills. More people should use them. I just wish the parents that do (the ones I've dealt with would actually read about/and really realize what's actually needed to do it correctly.
Mike 04:28 PM 03-31-2017
As you can see, some people don't like cloth, pretty much always because of lack of parental work, and others like cloth. I prefer cloth myself. It's been 18 years since I changed a diaper, but I used to do a lot of it with cloth and disposable, and I found cloth was better, if everything was done properly.
I would suggest your friend check around. Someone must be willing to deal with cloth. If not, maybe she should go into daycare.
I would suggest your friend check around. Someone must be willing to deal with cloth. If not, maybe she should go into daycare.
JackandJill 04:51 PM 03-31-2017
I am in MA, and unless I was doing it wrong I just put used the wet bag, which was hung up on a hook above the diaper pail. Seriously not hard work, and I didn't mind doing it.
That being said, I would be cautious taking on another cloth family, and mostly because of the condition of the diapers they were sending. The smell of ammonia was OVERPOWERING by the time I told them no more. The bag was gross after a while, too. But that is this family, not every cloth family is like this!
I am guessing that your friend is just running into providers who are using the licensing requirement as an excuse.
In terms of pointing out the regulation to the providers, I wouldn't, I think it would make it that much harder for her to find a provider to offer her a space. Not sure why they aren't just upfront about not wanting cloth diapers. At this point she will have to decide if she wants to keep looking for a provider happy to do it, or start sending some disposables!
That being said, I would be cautious taking on another cloth family, and mostly because of the condition of the diapers they were sending. The smell of ammonia was OVERPOWERING by the time I told them no more. The bag was gross after a while, too. But that is this family, not every cloth family is like this!
I am guessing that your friend is just running into providers who are using the licensing requirement as an excuse.
In terms of pointing out the regulation to the providers, I wouldn't, I think it would make it that much harder for her to find a provider to offer her a space. Not sure why they aren't just upfront about not wanting cloth diapers. At this point she will have to decide if she wants to keep looking for a provider happy to do it, or start sending some disposables!
Laurie 04:59 PM 03-31-2017
In the 24yrs I've had my daycare, I've never had a parent use cloth diapers. I didn't use them with my own children. My lack of knowlegde with them would probably tell them I don't accept cloth diapers. I'll have to think about this one, if the question come up down the road.