Cloth Diapering

Yes, we use cloth diapers. When I tell people this fact, I usually get a weird look, followed by a bunch of questions. "Are they REALLY waterproof? I bet they leak all the time," "Where do you buy these cloth diapers? I have never seen them in the store," "Aren't they super expensive?" and "Don't you just hate washing them? Isn't it really gross?" After I answer the questions, the person is most often genuinely interested. They still look a little skeptical, but once they see the diapers they usually change their minds. I think most people don't realize how far cloth diapers have come in the last 20 years. They are really quite easy, and cute! I cloth diaper two children, so the savings is quite substantial for me, though it is significant if you only have one child. We have spent about $350 on cloth diapers and supplies, when before we were spending about $170/month on disposables, wipes, and diaper genie refills. We started saving in just two months! I can really tell a difference in our budget, and it has provided money to buy more organic food and pay off medical debt. I wash the diapers every three days, and honestly, I do so much laundry around here that it doesn't feel like any extra at all. Laundry is endless, so adding two loads a week goes truly unnoticed (just as infinity + 2 = infinity). The top reason I cloth diaper the boys is that cloth is better for the environment. I consider myself to be a "greenie" and proud! I recycle, buy CFL light bulbs, eat organic, go meatless, turn the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter, and make it a general practice to do everything I can to save our planet. I believe God gave us this Earth on which to live and it is our duty to take care of it for future generations. Disposable diapers are the third most common item in American landfills, and Americans add approximately two tons of disposable diaper waste into our landfills per child. Cloth is also much safer for babies. Cotton underwear has to be more comfortable than plastic and paper, and it doesn't contain the harsh and sometimes dangerous chemicals found in disposable diapers. Disposable diapers contain dioxins that are banned in other countries and were banned in US-manufactured tampons in the mid-1980's. Babies who wear cloth diapers also have fewer diaper rashes than their disposable-diapered counterparts, and develop athsma at lower rates. There are current studies that show that wearing disposable diapers may lead to male infertility as well. As far as being reliable, I can honestly say that we have never had a "blow-out" in a cloth diaper. When we were using disposables, it seemed like we had a blow-out almost every day. We are also starting to potty-train Elijah, and my cloth-diapering mommy friends have told me that it is a quicker process in cloth because the babies can better feel when they are wet. And where to buy cloth diapers? I buy on the internet, and have a very good friend who owns an online cloth diaper store. Erinn's store, Green Planet Baby, is listed in my favorite links over there in the sidebar. All-in-all, I feel as though we have made a great and significant decision by cloth-diapering our babies. It is definitely best for our family and our Earth.

Here are some pictures of my littlest cloth-diapered cutie, taken when he was 5 months old: