8.25.2010

Why in the **** would you want to do that???

That was the response that I got from most people when I announced my plans to cloth diaper!

Actually it was more like this...My husband: Eww, Im not changing cloth diapers (Like he changes many anyways!)
My mom: WHY IN THE **** WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT???
My sister: Eww thats SO gross!!!
My dad: Do you need money for diapers? That's just gross!

Reassuring right??
Cloth diapering has a really dirty stigma. I admit it, the first time I heard of people cloth diapering I was completely turned off. It sounded crunchy and so old fashioned. I thought "why would ANYONE want to do that!?"Apparently, many others feel the same way. I see the side eye looks every time I mention that I use cloth diapers. The nurses at the pediatrician look dumbfounded when I get my kid naked and he isn't wearing Pampers. Our church nursery "doesn't accept cloth diapers" and most preschools around here don't as well. My sister said her whole office thinks I'm "some hippie granola chick that wears birkenstocks" because she told them I cloth diaper. ( I googled for a picture to convey "hippie granola chick" and most were naked... why is that?) Well, I am probably the farthest person from Crunchy that you will ever meet.
Cloth diapering is SO MUCH DIFFERENT than it used to be a few generations ago! Here is why I chose to cloth diaper.

When I was pregnant, I heard how Pampers Swaddlers were going to be my favorite diaper. They were "better than anything else" THE BEST. Well, after MANY, I repeat MANY disgusting diaper explosions and TONS of outfit changes, I started second guessing the sacred Swaddler. Maybe my kid has some serious force, but I tried other brands too. Daily diaper explosions just aren't cool!
The day I officially decided I was done with disposables, I was holding Keating and looked down to see a lap full of crap that had quickly spilled out of his diaper. I was done! D.O.N.E.

I told my husband that I was going to try cloth diapering, and he was appalled. But, he did agree that it was up to me since I was doing 99.8% of diaper changes. I did a lot of research online and made up my mind. I was going to do it!

My Reasons To Cloth Diaper
1. It is economical, you can get full sets of diapers for under $300. These sets can be used for multiple kids. One child can cost over $1200 to diaper until toilet training! That's NUTS! We want 4 kids and the thought of paying $4,800 for diapers seemed crazy.

2. It is GREEN! I really can't claim to be green. I occasionally remember to bring my reusable grocery bags to the store and I reuse my tervis tumbler instead of plastic water bottles... but sadly that's about it. I thought this is one thing where I could do my part. 18 BILLION diapers are used in the US per year (that stretches around the Earth 90 times) and they all sit in a landfill.
3. No diaper explosions! We have never had any incidents with cloth diapers in the last 3 months. None. We do have occasional wetness, but that is usually because he has had it on for too long.

4. No diaper rash This isnt a definite, but he's never had it. The cloth keeps his tiny butt super dry.

5. They're SUPER cute!!! I really despise cartoon characters on disposable diapers. I love the modern colors and prints that cloth diapers offer. A gray diaper? (Y'all know of my gray obsession!) How freaking cute! Chocolate brown, yep they have them too!


Now, I'm not trying to preach to anyone. It obviously isn't for everyone, I am just explaining why I do it. I do not regret making the switch AT ALL. I am by no means a cloth diapering pro (yes, they really do exist!) but, if any of you are wondering more about it, or trying to decide, I would love to answer any questions you may have.

This guy seems to like them!




17 comments:

  1. Love this!! My mom thinks I am a freak because I want to cloth diaper our future kids. It just saves SOOO much money and I really get grossed out at the thought of my kid sitting in a plastic wrap full of chemicals all day. Ick!

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  2. I always think the weird ones are the ones who are so quick to judge and be rude. I have used cloth diapers and next week I am going back them full time as it's time for potty training!

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  3. gah, those blue eyes just melt me!!! i haven't broken the news to nate that i'm contemplating the cloth diaper route when we decide i have kids...

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  4. I have never even heard of this route until blogging, but after reading quite a few posts about it...I am intrigued! It will be a little while until my fiance and I are ready for babies, but I am definitely planning to look into this when my time comes.

    On the "crunchy granola chick" note, I told my fiance Thomas the other day that I wanted to join a food coop when we get married and he thought I was flippin' nuts. He laughed out loud. I told him that it is basically a farmer's market to my door with organic food and he was moderately okay with it since I will be doing the cooking anyway. We will see what the prices are like for that, but really I think "Green" things, other than the reusable bags, seem to equate in society to being a hippie.

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  5. Love that photo!

    I love the idea of cloth diapers but am curious to know what the cleaning process entails. Do you just toss them in your washing machine? Or is there some other process?

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  6. I'm sure they are more comfortable.

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  7. I think green is good, especially since I've heard some studies about how the earth's doing because of us, humans!
    But I would try cloth diapering anyway, just because I my family has a history of sensitive skin... Cloth diapering should help, I believe...
    And Keating is really one handsome boy :)

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  8. One of my friends is doing the cloth diapers and she loves it! My youngest is almost 2, and almost potty trained, but it's something I would concider for baby #3. I say good job for you! And I am always about saving money! :)

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  9. Would love more information. Ironically, my husband is the one who wants to try cloth diapering. So my questions would center around: Cleaning, changing when out and about or traveling, brand you use, how many you got and how often you do the laundry! Thanks for this great information. (we're expecting in December!)

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  10. I am up in the air about this. I can't decide which kind of diapers I want to use. I am an Environmental Scientist but am so like you - not crunchy in any way and I recycle but can't claim to be "green". I sound like an oxymoron but, ah well...

    I am interested to know more about cloth diapering, though. Maybe it will be for me, too???

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  11. I love it... I admist that at first when I read about cloth diapering I thought that it was crazy, but the more thata I have read (on blogs of course!) The more I am willing to give this a shot. we are going to stop preventing once we get married...
    With JM being an accountant, if I told him that it was going to cost $1200 in diapers he wouldn't even think twice about wanting to use cloth diapers! We are always trying to save money somewhere!
    BUT I am interested in the cleaning of them? Do you just throw them in the wash?
    Hope that all is well! Keating is one cute baby!!!

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  12. Ok, I do have a few questions because I am semi-contemplating this not because I'm very eco-friendly, but because I'm cheap!:

    1. This is probably a stupid question, but do they come in different sizes? I would think that they obviously do, but how did you know how many of each to buy when stocking up?

    2. What do you immediately do with the dirty diapers? Do they make a diaper genie for cloth diapers? Or does the regular diaper genie work for cloth diapers?

    3. Where do you buy them from?

    4. How often do you have to wash them? Whenever one becomes dirty, once a day... etc..?

    I will probably have more that I can't think of yet. You can send me an e-mail at andreadawley@hotmail.com if it's easier for you to reply that way.

    Thanks!
    Andrea @ Life in Dawleywood

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  13. I'm glad there are no more diaper explosions!

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  14. I could not agree with you more! I adore cloth diapering, for many of the same reasons you listed. I hated disposables for the short time we used them (basically waiting for the BG 3.0s to fit his tiny butt) and we had tons of blow outs!

    As far as the church nursery goes, I just tell them when I take him that he is fine with diapers, then I pop in between sunday school and service and change him myself. That way, there are no issues! Although last week, one lady changed him and was just thrilled to talk to me all about it when I came back in. She said "I though, what on Earth is that?! I was looking for the rubber pants when someone mentioned cloth diapers!" I love being able to educate people on modern cloth!

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  15. What kind of cloth diapers did you decide to use? How many did you have to buy? I REALLY want to do this but there's so much info on the internet, I get lost in all of it! Thanks!

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  16. I have all the same questions as Andrea @ Life in Dawleywood. My husband and I will be cloth diapering too when our little girl comes (ANY DAY!). What kinds are you using? Any preferences? I've got the simple Gerber cloths with covers and some fancier ones that I'm trying out. Suggestions? You can email me at baileyabroad@gmail.com or at my blog
    thiswoodhouse.blogspot.com

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  17. I love that I got busted on your blog! Nice!

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